Marvelled by the mystery around Castor's partner. The papers were placed away to my shadows storage, as now he can walk through it anytime. Crossed over I had been stared oddly for not passing like they do. I laughed at them with their expression changed with shock.
Converted to a grey bird and fluttering over; turning black feathered crow upon being far enough from the realm of angels. Hovered with watching them walking, fluttering ahead the paths to watch those in our crossing.
"Is that a real death crow?" My presence noticed by the local pet colony off duty and lounging around.
"I am not a bird." I spoke in cat (which were what asked), "I am leaving anyways, as duty is." Coverted to one. I hopped about the branches lower down to stare at the group passing through. Looking back on them that followed from hidden behind places or those that needed to follow here anyway. I jumped to the floor and pelted in caughting up with them. A dog in free roam, sniffing places of abnormal smells. Dog's don't normally hang around here.
"Kate," my nickname for Castor to call me. I walked on over and tilt with ask, "Which way is the living lands?" I closed my eyes and sensed the smells… listened for that breeze. Up I went as a winged bird. I knew this place and felt I been here before. The cold has my hairs stand on end, as this were the last feeling I felt before being claimed. My eyes opened with the group behind me, stepping out to the moonlight way and the cast of new shadowed shapes they take in stepping this ground.
Looking like scaled demon without wing. I wouldn't change in crossing as wouldn't Castor.
"We could if we allow it, be seen and intract with the living here." I warned Castor, "Unlike others, these grounds are a source of power to me. The laws of this land can even be used for my help."
"It's beautiful here."
"No…" I disagree, "What is breath taking it the veiw from the cliff left from us."
They all went to go check that and see out desination down there.
"If anyone was crazy to go there of all places; they would follow the landslide stairswell." I have my nose point to there, "We better get moving before the dawn raises. The sun is death upon the afterlife visitors."
"Spoken like a local."
"Ex-local. The old town trade post is behind us. Many clothus there to trade and talk. Banter in politics or secrets." They stared at me for a while, "Nothing wrong with that, right?"
I were told to fluttered in check ahead. I bowed a nod and jumped to bat, fluttered off into marking sure the trees don't kill us. I did my part with scaring off the local threats and just maybe disabled the few tree fakes around here. Then on to deep glaring at a group of Clothus hovering past our path, I watched them for if they be a threat and with checking the conditions of servants. Someone among them looked back towards me, I think he noticed me watching them. They are gone with the wind by the time my hosting party is by.
"So the worst to encounter here?"
"the fake trees seem to fool you folks to well." I commented, "But if talking food chain that either myself or the furless bears."
"What do you me by you? You're a…."
"Not a bat, not a dog, not brid or cat."
"Let them be, it was just a harmless question." I were warned. I nod, "Walk with us now that we have possibility of crossing others around here." I jumped into a roll. Dusted off like a human with nature brown hair. Out with a new weapon to mimic what humans should carry, walked with the same caution I had about a pervious tree doubt. Scanned and always pointed outwards. Alert for threats.
"trade of meat?" I stopped the group from walking into that. A plant that mocks cat crwallers and mass eats groups like this.
"No meat trading here, plant." I stared, "Or fake."
"Clever…" the elder tree moved, "I let you pass if you have a good water."
"I have a good drink, that isn't blood." I picked out a bottle and toss it to it. it wholled the whole thing and crunched with the glass, "Do not touch anyone of our group."
"Fair." It directed as help down the land slide stairs, "Watch out for the grim tonight. Out on a head bounty for a demon minister."
"Spoke like a outsider."
"You do caught me out good, fake human. Ex-soul."
"May the lord save you in your time of needed, old clothus."
"Kind."
Group edged around and down. I nod in fairwell to the tree, sliding down the way without care and the most perfect of balance. Keeping eye on above and around. Away with the weapon and out to knock out the trouble of servants here on guard duty – knocked cold and laid in sleeping in comfort. I played a mimic of one, stood waving them lot towards the base post town on the edge of the stairs here. there a fire warning signal system here, and a wave check with distant guard walkers around. The tree that helped retracted back as if it weren't a part of this.
"Kate, time to walk the town." I nod and had a few folks set put to wake up soon. Altered to a mock Clothus and hovered about; seeking out on those that mean intent of harm. Playing spy among the wolves. Only to dot back and have these lot as my posy. Playing ideas on the unsuspecting.
"What's your name and title?"
"Oh, I am a no one famous. Not worthy of noting." I played around with this clothus stepping forwards, "It's this lot that carry burden of titles, I got sick of mine a long time ago."
"Just another step down noble." It hummed with looking at this lot, "What's business this lot have?"
"Something about trades with the towns; making a money exchange for a few well, claws."
"Claws?"
"You hadn't heard the myth about the reptile that traded?"
"Oh, it's returned?"
"It's the rumour that getting grim on the hunt for answers. Best watch ourselves for fakes, whom knows happens if a rumours became real."
"You have a fair point." Off it go tell others of our arrival.
"You think they bit the lie?" I asked, "It wasn't exactly a lie either."
"You're always one to twist words." My partner muttered to my ear and the rest filtered with looking around.
He stepped around to follow the majority. I hooked around to the glimpse of a grim here. Backing off to the fade. I looked out to the those waking up out of watching the grounds again. Confused and hissed that they fell asleep on the job. One that would have noticed was soon to on fight with a local to care or remember.
Off that grim went to watch them; off I traced around to do some trades. I mock the patterns of the clothus to have manged to stood with them in a exchanged between my group and this town leading speaker. Out with the truth of why we are here; here I am in perfect fine tune to be able to over hear the clothus muttering their comments. To find I understand them.
"Is there a clothus among you?"
"No but we do have someone that like to pretend to be or just love prentending to be anything but themselves."
"They sure have knowledge of our laws then."
"Ex-merchant." My partner voiced, "Someone used to the regulations on trading with you."
"That's acceptable and honest from you." Moved along with telling what they needed and I am wakled out in another's shape. But with cash to the table for better answers, "Oh, I do like you." They spout out that we in better luck that they are having a spa over by the acid pools. Which is just meaning they are radating with nuclear waste pools at the centre, "Good luck on that."
"How's the fish been these days?" I placed a second payment.
"Uh… the local gator population? Left us alone for now." I crept a smile, "What?"
"I love gators." I sing and stepped back with my original group, "I think this lot have nothing left for us. They know trades quiet talk or a ask to have a tongue removed." Hands cover mouths all around, "Just do let them wag to much lads. Nothing more." Tossed payment for that and did the lead of walking out. Just to watch if any grim came knocking over this way. No, not yet. My hand stopping any point of weapons, "We don't need to attract the local grims here."
I directed the way to go from here and did the back clean up of making it seem we walked a different way. This trickery was of some help as I turned a bird and fluttered back to the group, ever so quite. The next setting is the place to be head hunting. So many arrested, summoned back by look of papers. The drafted of sudden missing people had those come out from hiding to fight out the punishment. Like we do, we are the two whom stood and recored each of them dropped through the summons and everything spoke written as evidence to trial. Our duty as watchers was clear; having no part in being any judging voice. The prolonged mute ways has everyone a little more then worried. Maybe they had expected some smart commented out of us.
"Good, silent witnesses. I thought I ordered one." A golden cloak prince clothus, given we don't bow and react at the slightest, "You're rookies, right?"
"Although we are, we take out duty beyond our rank. Besides, there is only one angel witness here and his pet." I spoken only, "But I am trained to be as of similar ranking."
"Don't let there looks and sounds fool you, that is my only warning." My partner voiced and back to silence we are. At recoreding what we should, everything never missed. Even down to the whispering I written up about. A conversation about us both and how well we worked as watchers without judgement.
"Very new to the field but beyond what I expected in standards. Yes, I quite like you both."
"We have no agreements or disagreements, prince clothus." I voiced again and that is the warning I posed about knowing this trick, "We will not be enslaved by fancy words you hide in whispers."
"To bad, but you are a clever pair. You can report my pleasure for the serves to the general that sent you. If you make it back."
"Well, no tree ate anyone. I say we been counting lucky stars so far." I write this all down, "No death's to report so far and hope none in our remaining 12 weeks here." the clothus blinked about just how calculating I am. I make new notes of those are left and are watching operations around here.
I was directed about a local and have this written in as it drags a corpse of someone. My study of being unfazed to the death had allowed me to recored whom, what and why. My partner takes the time to stomach the horror. I pet my partner in understanding that is not a pleasing experience the first several times and that aftermath of thought that lead into nightmares. Yes I understood, "There. There. Just life being life. The system here at it's worst and best."
"Wow, that new." I have thing written down about this and caught the arrow from the air, started using it for writing to.
"You're not a angel."
"No, I am his partner. We are new to the ranks, so I wouldn't expect you hearing of us." I study this angel and write about him, "As watchers do. Most go unnamed by the public."
"This is true." They understood and muttered some advice to my partner, "You're the pet, right?"
"I am." I voiced and finished writing up this little bit. Arrow that I held to dull for use, I trade with a spar ring arrow. Back to the angel that shot it. the team out in greeting with everyone and making proper preparations for mass summons back home. Yet by agreement by the general, we are to stick around a while longer – this wasn't my choose anyways. I follow where my partner goes.
The exchange of people, the check of notes crossing over to the new watchers over the arrested. Given blank books to fill from here a large stack for us to fill or keep just in case. Then they were gone and we still mutely hung around in twin notion to the group we agreed to staying to; we are to follow the one that carries the contract and seal – this is the agreement terms as we keep our mirror copy to prevent fraud claim. No grim is here to carry any dead but they lingered for a while antispation for something to happen.
"Right, one's a pet and ones the angel rookie." We both directed to whom as that was said which baffled the prince that newly joined, "Got a name?"
"This is Kay and you can call me Rookie; for now. Understand it clearly not our names but what we will hear out for." The offered hand lowered and backed, "We know about your enslavement laws and feel that they aren't necessary to the service agreement already in order." There a dark peer, "It's all in writing."
"Would you like them following you until a archeangel comes searching for them?"
"It's a requirement of safety, according to the terms. Whom knows what happens in 12 weeks. Might be…"
"Please don't finish that." I were told off.
"I were going for a lighter tone. Being all hopeful."
"Yes, but I know you."
The exchange aside they have it traded off to the prince. This is instantly recorded by us both, openly on new books – first pages.
"They are official rookie title watchers, adapted to the living lands. The pet is a shapeshifter and continues to be mysterious. While the angel Rookie is mysterious on the other ways – making them perfect working pair of mute (lack for better word) creepy. The rare times they speak; they seem more like protective siblings with duty complex." They pause, "My best warning for you, these two are real freshmen out of heaven. The reactions to things we over look for being here often is amusing to sometimes watch."
They hummed and have that placed away. I used my shadows to investigate this prince's storage; just noting things in there and the possibility of their uses. The sleeping servant were a demon in there, something I noted and shared next to me. He reads, then blankly continued with listening. I stepped around with evalutating the survival of this group. Stopping short with one among them being a little to not clothus to me. My glare of confusion passed with the curiosity; I stepped around avoiding them. But they watched me very intently. I wasn't in the slightest put off in fear but just so I don't lunged for them in poking about their shapes.
"What's got you?"
"One among the sheep isn't a sheep."
"Excuse you?"
"I mean not to be rude but it the best I could fit my wording. Very interesting. I hope not a dementor. I hate them and they aren't native here."
"Uh, what?"
"Whom knows." I muttered and have a while about being through my old notes. Making a new entry for a race I have yet to place into note. I have done this for quite a while and has been very helpful. My human muttering slides past the over all conversation.
"You can see me?" This figure stepped through a clothus and I stepped back in the counter, "Do you understand me?" I looked around the others and kicked dust through them. Not earth bound. My stare on them is back to that dark confused curiosity.
"I hope not no grim right?" I asked them.
"No, a lost soul."
"There has been a lot of them here." I don't write it with not taking it to face value but I do realize what pitch I am talking in. A animalistic pitching, caught between reptile hissing and clicking. But this thing isn't a living or a corpse walker. There would be complant if those were the case. Flesh too, it's to… ghostly. I try giving sketching a go with details of the cloak and rings it wore. How the mock of a clothus mask peered amused about me. It reached out to touch me again, back I went again and avoided backing into any trap or trick or being. It frowned by the gesture.
"What would you class yourself?"
"Oh, aren't you fancy with keeping recored." I peered about there lack of shadow I do my own check of rid the invader around me with gentle shadow blocking, "Wow, a shadow changer power." It hummed, "If you can do that, would you shapeshift too?"
"I could if I wanted but I am fine with what I seem. What about you? What are you? What is your name or prefer to be called by without the clothus business junk?" they laughed and wipped the mask off giving a nightmare ink drip appearance underneath the cloak. More a liquid shadow blob under there then a cloud.
"They say I am a nightmare or a dweller from nightmare. My nickname is inks."
"Cool." All written and sorted through, "Not a dweller of the living, just another visitor beyond the curtains of reality. Very interesting." My words made it back away now, "Nightmare have a realm, noted. I quite like that idea."
"What are you talking about?" My partner notes my change of books and the stare in on place for the duration of time.
"I having a wonderful conversation with a nightmare. Makes me estatic to learn new realms and folks."
"You didn't just say nightmare as in, a dweller of nightmare?"
"Do they bother you? I of thought that they seem more harmless then a tree."
"Detial tree." My partner asked.
"One them jaw snapper trees."
"I am glad I asked." He hummed and tries to study this spot, "But I don't see them."
"Maybe a layer thing. This realms loves hiding layers or showing them in the more – exciting timing."
"You have no fear of them in the slightest?"
"Yeah, you haven't the slightest fear of me."
I danced between the clothus and the nightmare in conversation.
"Look as long as you harmless, I don't see why you can't hang around. It's not our choose anyways." I openly spoken to them and they still understood me, "Harm our agreement hold or my partner and I might just consider ink stew."
"Don't threaten people, it's rude."
"Forgive my threat in a harsh sense, I just want you to understand where I stand in the matter. Alright?" the ink nightmare nods and studies those he came here for, "It's not of any issue if those are whom you wanted. They aren't whom we have to worry for." It smiled and sticks around. I smiled lightly back and finish my notes. My book off me for partner to caught up the conversation… my book of watcher then handed as I had been writing that conversation into it. He reads through that looked around to the group overall. We place it all away, do a last little check and stand with waiting to move on.
"What?" one clothus exclaimed with moving away from the sudden voice they heard from the nightmare playing them, "I haven't a clue what race the not angel is." They looked around confused and backed away, "That had to been the nightmare on me."
They do finally moved into a deeper section of this crator valley, to have a bath meeting of princes – such meeting took up 4 days in just full time writing. Everything recorded, even down to how the whispers are often missed. The lengths we will go to getting everything down made me wonder if these books would even mean anything – if this work were produce anything of use.
They jumped from business talks to private lives conversation that didn't bring about much information at the slightest; but it was very open to suggesting things. As if the spoke words weren't the point of the talk but really a fear expression competition. Whom makes the scarest face to silence the rest of them. I don't want to get into play of trade; as there might sub-text talking here. There could be bet making that isn't bowing well to us personally.
"I know you haven't ate again." My partner passed me something… has to be a illusion of him as that isn't his voice. I blinked a few times in knowing to see through it. Not even taking it from them.
"Excuse me, but I just have to check something." I flickered holy water towards them and their food offering; resulted in them buring and moving off. I got on with noting the effect of holy water on something that mocked my partner.
"What are you up to?" flicked water at him and his not even amused or bothed.
"The odd fake of you asking me to eat something disgusting is what going on here." I stopped being a bother, "Something a miss with your fake me?"
"Doesn't like being touched or even tries being like you. Just what you seem on the outside."
"How sad, why judge books by the covers? It's not worth debat, so 21st century."
The folks do an exchange to the prince then all muttered darkly about how petty the game was. I do a reflection check and admire the split moment I can enjoy my jaw to lizard click in and out. The forked tongue flicked in a finished resetting. I give a while to play with my new face expressions. Play the what's the best colour for my lips.
"lighter with a inner red tint." I looked at the reflection and have that sorted and back to him, "And as always." I tied my eye vail back, "Beautiful. You be alright lady since being out here."
"I preferred it for a long time; freedom fashion. Then it just was preferred by my length of time and personality blended. Now it just what suits the time."
I brushed the same soft trace cheek, under jaws then the other cheek. I lightly purred to the sense and listened gently with things. I only then moved him to the side to go tell a gator climbing the fencing. I gave a right good old snap at this gator for thinking that this was a drinking pool. My brother Castor laughing at me but pale with how large they were and the snapping power they have. That the corpses around here weren't a joke. That the new set around here doesn't get ignored. I take my attention to the pool and diver right in – so I may scare all the locals out from hiding. Moving off the cause of the issue… a drowned doll (screamer preditors that look and sound like human scream vicitims).
Off it be disbatched with a axe by servants. I shifted back a mock angel, out the water. I find the colouring off as my eyes had to adjust again. They burned pretty badly… enough to have me shadow walk into storage for pure holy water to pour over them.
"I didn't realize that the water would hurt my eyes. My fault in not protecting them… I knew better." I whimpered and find the greeting of not my partner around here. Something I brought a blade on, the cold dares not invade skin.
"Death isn't someone to be killed."
"In eons even death may die." I corrected, "Lay a hand on me, grim. You might find your insides over my shadows."
"Just here to take your life."
"I am already among the angels, The collections not on me as a living but already among the dead. Just a visitor." My marks of my arms wiped on show, "Leave me be."
"Fine. The marks are correct passage ticket." Off they left or seem to. But the cold lingered a while to long; here to watch me. The wash of holy helped my sight and it returned with stinging dry feeling. The focus were in and out of it. not able to see past the holes in my vision, I am worried that I have blinded myself in my actions to protect them. I take a seat where I have ended up, play around with elemental manipulation to fix the damgage created; what I can only thing of a daylight passing. My sight was sort of fine again.
I altered into a mock of a human, out with a mock army outfit; stepped out with hunter instinct… it's total broadlight and they have moved off to shade since. I only have to feel for how far he has gone, back under the close shelter. What about this visitor in my storage? At a glaring glance, it's that nightmare trying to play me. It finds a it's own nightmare as my shadow tells him off for the rude unwelcome walk in – in lizard style. They seem silent after that.
I scanned on out with the locals basking in the sunlight. I danced through this crowds as if they weren't a threat with me. Stepping onwards to what the temporary tents have been placed. They have been moved further since… fine but which way. Just back a into the pervious town; right?
"May I be guided to return towards whom I loved, let the winds pick up and glide me over, so I may continue my duty and protections." Such a spell worked and into a larger bird I went and let the sky's push me around; finding the tents again.
The few servants hung around the outside in complete chatter to each other. More importantly, I knew that shade stander as my partner. I left my shadow pass in front as a tell to him and he looked up with a grin… nods and goes back to shade. I scanned the areas around here for any threats; watching the incoming of demons partnered with a grim in their follow. I hovered in spying them out, turned colour to mock the locals here. This fooled them enough as they did look to check me out yet no weapons were drew.
I take drive on a lone bone body shattered across the path they were taking. Play bird with poking at the bones.
"Looks like a Clothus group… here's to hoping for some angel meat on the menu." I didn't mean to snap something under my foot but it got them to ring around me. I play like I don't see them yet, pecking at the bone fragements I got from that. Picking the long sharp ones. Testing their tool shape as if I plan on being a bird to use them to get something out.
"Excuse me…" the grim stepped though and looked at the bones and me. I hopped around with finding balance for flight, fluttering like I wasn't able to pick up the tool in my flight, "Not dying anytime soon, bird. But I find on the rare occasion that you make good message takers." He seemed to show in normal sight and I dropped my 'tool' and hopped around in flutter of inspecting him, "You can talk, right?"
"talk." Basic human language, "talk who? Repeat what?"
"The next being on my list isn't going to die but instead be warned of their interventions of the life system, find a gold wearing cloth puppet" (prince clothus) "I will be making a harmless visit."
"death makes harmless visit." I repeated and get something out of it… a silver coin, "shiny."
"proof of my message and yours to keep." I play about it and then nod. Take it without an issue into flight and straight back to the tents. He had watched that I flew straight a direction instead of wondering around looking. I fluttered to landing on the top of the tent and jumped down a cat, still the coin in my mouth.
"What a adventure?" I write everything as it happened for me into the watcher books, including this message from a grim, "Where's our golden prince, I have a message in passing by some unpleasant demons and a grim." Directed with all pointing to him… they all lack colour in daylight hours, "A grim is here to visit a gold clothus, so I thought it be you. He said something about natural order and that he be making a harmless visit." This clothus knew exactly what he was about to get, "Hey partner, best we shadow this lot while this exchange happens. Looks like some nasty excutioners from hell."
"They said something like that?"
"No, just how I view them. One made the comment of hoping for angel meat on the menu. I just don't want you hurt." He nods and steps into my storage, "That nightmare still scared stiff in there."
"I see that now." I hear and purr. Flicked about with the coin, turned into a grey small bird and nest on a tent ceiling hanging. Holding the coin with me. Listened to the servants be all protective of folks.
"Let the grim through." Announced, "maybe the leading others."
The grim looked around and stopped in seeing I happily sit where I was alone. Looked around and was directed to the prince – takes a seat across in meeting. I make write of all this conversation from the shadows. There is a demon among them that came in and started at me instantly.
"leave me be, salt you if dare." I commented and he glared around, "what a scale wing human thing looking for?"
"angels."
"feather wings?"
"Yeah, we are excutioners for their crime of idealism."
"what ideas?" I asked and this is proving to be a educational lesson in the difference in what they do.
It's the actions that all are judged by from them and no reasons are excusable for what has been done. That mostly all humans and angels are to be treated with a education to change them.
"Murder just not acceptable." I guessed, "No reasons to anyone it would. Even if a accident or survival or intented." I hummed, "Sure, it makes lodgical sense but what if you the good Samaritan trying to restart the dying persons heart?"
"They fall in the grey area. It's not killing them but it can cause death by their actions. And you don't seem a bird at all the more you talk."
"te hehehe. Hardly a bird." I snickered, "Best leave me be, don't need a arm snapping."
"Leave the mock thing alone, it's been a good watcher for a while until now."
"Who said I wasn't recording everything?" I pointed out, "I take my duty seriously, even down to that little muttering and whispering you lot share."
"creepy was the correct term when I got you." Back to ignoring us and the conversation drifted into dusk. I felt my partner take rest in my storage (having been awake all day for me). There is passing dark comments by the whole group. In deep worry that the grim haven't been able to cope with the rise of clothus and the total fall of all humans again. Not even the town I made has lived the earthquake passing. So it seems for them; but there is possibility of the living making it through a miracle. Such darker doubt in life to be life.
"We can't have you demons eating my recored makers and I don't think they are worth the issue of trying. Forget the bird changer, that rookie that companies them is quite a skilled combat."
"Are you saying there is angels here?"
"Just a watcher."
"One and low ranked."
"New to the realm."
"If not the angel to whip you, I fear the pet more for any back lash."
I shaped to a human and have me very well placed at the door, glaring at them all.
"I not…" the point of a spear on that ones back, "Are you making a threat?"
"I want to know if you intent your harm in full meaning or not. As this isn't a threat, we both know that difference."
"I personally have no intent, but I can't say that for the few with me that don't listen." The spear is put away, "You believe my words."
"I don't need to. If you had lied, your heart would have told me." I tilted, "Besides, I haven't ate meat in years. I don't want to make anyone of you my first in that long. And yes, this time is a threat because you friends behind me are about to be slated."
"Leave the angel and pet alone."
"One day, we might actually be helpful." My partner stepped through, "I have no bias to your thoughts. If that's your belief, then I am of no issue in stopping you from that belief. Maybe my words and no take actions could save someone you loved." He moved me out of the way, "our writing is used in courts all to often these days and I don't just mean our heaven courts. I have been told they end up far into hell to, as truth and as it should be."
"I like you." He laughed and goes bark at those here.
"You really need to not threaten others if you're not going through with it."
"I have been thinking of eating the few trees in passing, you do know that. Right?" He stared oddly, "I have also been a meat eater, it's just my younger days of having no teeth didn't help. Plus, heaven's got this whole vegan meal deal about it. No real meat."
"Right, the more we learn. I knew you ate things like that. Just didn't see past the mock this time." He checked my eyes as they still hurt from the water. We had to continue into writing duty with everything spoken. That nightmare out to plague the demons for now, and to make the grim sent it back to the home realm it came from. I was stared at for that exact thought of it happening to me next; but the longer this grim watched us. The relationship became more clear for them; lowered back down for talk.
"There was once a slayer that belonged here, owned by this lands laws. I spoken the words of guidance around for both afterliving dwellers like us and the living like humans – equally. They seemed a saint in talking about them, in how you would described the actions they made. They protected and brought back the humans after the long years we seemed the humans were extinct. How they renewed and detailed the laws for us grim and dwellers.
It's safe to assume from what was reported by highers and from the reaper specialist; the reptile went with age and grace. But they were mistreated too, at the end. There is been worry by those whom were a part of it; this reptile will return for blood. It's just the question of where did such a good soul of foul shape drift to."
"Since the one that made sure the order stayed is passed, does this mean the agreement was then broken."
"No, the soul of a slayer will always be reborn a slayer." They all frowned deeply, "Yes, I thought they end up in your realm; with how middle grounded they seemed." I see my partner asked if they meant me and this small side note is going blind for them. I nod but gesture silence… both back to writing this conversation, "Murdered before, so it be impossible for them to pass above." Wow, oversight, "The wide search for this soul to have any chance of staying here is bring nothing out of it. Not good news. Only their ashes."
"You hope that it might of ended up in or realm and ask for mass task search for them?"
"To have lost this agreement speaker has be a devisating issue; as we been finding grim taking the dust too." that makes sense.
"Even in eons, death may die." I muttered and added to my book as my lone comment – not paid any thought of. The realms been fighting the afterlife invaders – even grim have over stepped their turf on the living. My eyes looked to more home enter the tent from the moonlight; covered in blood and dropped to the floor. I go inspect the cause of death and check pluse. No this one is a goner. Flayed by a venus plant trap. Escaped without a arm. I do what I can to help them and comfort them. If there is any chance for them to live this; they have to act now. Cpr has the heart working a few skips… but nothing.
"What are you doing?" I have a second try and slap the face a little… just like that. Instantly breathing and coughing up the blood out the air ways. I have a light for anything else wrong… not that I can tell.
"Alright, breathy. You count you lucky stars to be a thread to close to grim." I backed off with them sitting up dazed, I go wash off the blood off me, "That's what you get when playing with the plant life here. Lost limbs, I tell you."
"Nice work." I am treated with love and I purr about it, "You got their heart working again."
"Yup." I purr and watched as they get better help in bandages. I lean with my partner, tired from the hard work to get their heart to restart. The grim looked shocked that someone collectable was just taken from them. By a thing he didn't understand no less. Not exactly talking yet, everyone is alert to the outside actions with how this one had cross the servants out there had met the servants weren't doing their job. Or are to busy – so it looks from going out to the moonlight grassed dust grounds, sparing the few dead dust spots; it's all afterliving people fighting each other.
"Find that cheater!" I looked about the clothus with how they knew whom and what was up. Out with a book I write things down having a long pause to think about how to write this all down. 'Some sort of attack on the tent by total strangers exclaiming 'find that cheater'.' Yes, that would work out for now. 'Most of the servants have lost their lives and none others injured or hurt as of yet.' 'Must be known attackers given the muttering reaction between everyone excluding us watching this event. We haven't much a clue to whom and what was cheated about.'
"I just wrote that." Castor laughed, "Thinking alike." Books away fro this moment and I am out with my race encounter book for anything. It has a few suggestions to make about this; cheating could be from a deal, bet or promise. All of which are the sort of thing that they make. It put away in time with those entering with weapons out. Everyone as something pointed to them each. I stood taking two so I could protect Castor. He the one that then focused with writing through my shadow.
"Got two angels, a group of high fancy clothus, a servant bleed out across the floor and a grim. You lot seen a fool like that might have mimic one of you? Another hidden nightmare perphaps."
The group all looks around and stared to the fake among them in a deeper glare; this one pulled out from the group and is asked a bunch of questions. This wasn't the cheater they were looking for. I do a second check of numbers and wonder if I were glanced as angel.
"The only other that pretends things is the pet of the angel and she seems not whom you look for."
I get looked at with long study.
"You talk pet?"
"I don't make deals. I have been here with this lot since visitation. I am not the one you hunt, demon. Leave us be, you don't have any politics here to threat over."
"Yeah, your not the one." Sighed and looked around again. They grimace with the facts and has ordered for all those outside to be killed I stepped around to the fabric of the tent and glare at the shadows that wasn't ours. Not of anyone outside making it. just a total stranger in shadows behind us both. The glare must have been of settling for it to move out from the shadow behind and mock a clothus nearby. I looked back to a weapons were to strike at us. Caught in my hands and shattered by my scales that I have hidden.
"Don't you dare that again, this is my true first warning. We are watchers but antaginise me or my partner. There will be a fight you aren't going to win." They dropped the shatter weapons as did I with what remain I lodged in my mock. Out with books we both do; recording everything down to the movement of their fugitive. There is no telling what is the correct way of doing anything without the context. Help one will wrong the other. So we do what our duty has always been, to recored all and everyone we are aware of being here. We will trade in check if we have mirrored our books again – which is mostly true just that I noted the by what the weapons they were holding and colouring. His managed to hear nicknames and use them for his.
"You!" they finally have the nightmare I thought they wanted, "Ink, what are you doing here?" Or not?
"Following folks to scared the daylight out of them."
"Hows that working out?"
"I find my fear talking back at me." they have this prolong silence then one laughed in mockery. This slows with how honest they were being.
"I would blame him for the honesty." I voiced, "I am terrifying according to many folks, it's often why I don't like my true reflection."
"You're not a normal pet, are you." All written down as spoken and without altering. I detailed the expression and the sketched reflecting that, "You heard of Cat crawllers?"
"I thought they have evolved since the last time I remember. Corpse puppeteers of the living." They frowned with how knowledgeable I suddenly I was, "You find them often as the venus man traps; part plant and part cold blood. I weren't one but adopted by them in another life. Hardly any surprises when it comes to trading; your chance to walk away for the price of scraps or shiny. Or if starved enough will just go for you anyways."
"It's our living expert on many things like that." The prince chipped in and I was able to note back to things that were important details such as more folks walking into here and sheltering for the up coming dawn. The few able to be out there stayed around the tents sides all the ways around. It seems a day passed, I haven't as tracking as I should. But there still time here.
"Hey, come on you ckicken winged…" this last walker had a imprisoned angel sat to the front door and stared with a dark happy grin towards us both.
"You wouldn't be able to try, they are under oath." This didn't stop the feather wannabe be creepy. Looking at the clothus it might have to takes us from. It frowned with a prince here. Pouts at the door snarled of making some sort of plan.
"Any lives to take, grim?" asked with the repear stood to fetch them from outside. Stopped with looking at the breathing mass of a servant. Some fool daggered through that one and so they were collected. Harsh but it's how it was. The two of us take seat with being a part of the clothus group. But we are in full writing with the new folks in here and the counting of how they will out number us. Having ignored anything directed to us; but just in writing it down and moving on. We each took rest in turns wih watching this group of people watching us.
"Hey, got anything worth trading?" this maniac bothering the prince for our term agreement and the prince isn't having his scribe writers with all this evedenice be snatched from him. This exchange was the only thing really going on, made the few looking at their weapons and sighting me up. Or the two hacked off for their weapons shattering like glass; spitting about the traders that got thm from being fakes. Clothus makes small talks between each other in a mute fashion. Daylight passing on and the more likely that the prince was going to butcher the crazy.
"Watchers, right?" The prince asked, "Anything about protection in that duty?"
"Do you believe you being threatened by the… that?" I asked.
"It's been slowly making bolder claims of beheading me during night."
"And what about you, are you really saying those things?"
"I will have you both in my pocket if it means blood."
I sighed and have a check in the laws about this. There isn't much help there.
"For once, we have to judge this." Castor spoken gentle, "I say imprisoning one of our ranking should also be considered and that possibility of us in that."
"land lock?" I asked.
"It's not death or execution but it's not fitting."
"They say the lord works in mysterious ways. Maybe doing so will have divine actions around it." I get the nod of acceptance and stood up I didn't even have to speak words. As this entire crew of law breakers are casted to fold in chains unseen by eye; to be locked by their law breaking actions. The spread of locking chains reached around those few Clothus of our group whom broken laws – but not our prince which all we need to worry about, "So like the lord so to does lady Krama. Breaking laws of this land subjects you to be judged by te strength of paryers against you. The heavy the chains are; the more trapped you become."
The few that broken minor rules had their chains shattered by forgiveness; they meant no harm by breaking those laws. The band of criminals were to stuck in the chains – I have to consider asking the grim for advice on them. Only strangeness is the chain the linked around my one arm, how the prayer had locked me too. My thoughts were on the amount of times I threatened others and do wrong.
"Your own spell has enacted on you."
"I understand why, I know what I have done. I have already made peace with those sins but it's not something to be forgotten – so they must linger until I make them right. It comes as advice to us all really; that laws are to be kept for the sake of balance. If we to ruin the order of living local life; it is us to put them at peace properly. To face judgement, to be forgiven or punished. Nature and krama; despite coming different contexts enact the same wrath of punishment." The chains shattered across my arm as my resolve had pleased the prayers over me. The group picks up weapons around and those locked here in such chains were then collected by the grim as those chains crushed them to death. Locked about their soul and land locked to here. Set free to flutter as new life to the lands demands.
I checked my marks for any alterations; finding older marks bleeding through my upper shoulder. How they fit to the new marks gained from this life; seamless adding. I make my notes, taking a sit back down.
"Does she know all the cool stuff?"
"I am well versed in the angelic verses while she is to this lands verse. I could repeat the same exact spells but of heaven's taint – enacting under heaven laws. I haven't seen any reasons for heaven laws to enact here. Other then…" He goes over to the ex-slaved angel breaking the contracts of over them. They bowed in thanks and took the spare equipment; wishes to hang around to protect us both. As it so obvious that his new to the realm completely; prayer always in the last moments of watching other be killed around him and the sorrow he has over himself. That sorrow of feeling helpless to help others. There was better wisdom passed from this new friend; with how to cope with understanding it has to be done to save them.
The words had helped us both with the new changes of things and caught us up to the news for around these parts. This was well traded with the news we knew to share with this lost friend. I have my worry that their wings aren't going to carry their weight back up the heaven as they use to. Healing techquies have helped the worst of the damage; yet we aren't experts in this. The night brings us to fold down these tents and carry onwards with this journey. Onwards to meeting angel camps by the western new lake.
"I knew you were the pet but, since when has pets be able to talk back?"
"I am just among the rare sorts that can but it's isn't hard to believe. What do you remember of your ranking and colour?"
"Jst another solider in the frontlines, colour hadn't mattered when under duty of a general on field." This is true, "But I were a officer of orange and mapped areas. I got lost in actions after a being caught out alone in duty to proect around the camps. Kidnapped from my allies until you two."
I wrote this all down and noted the altered colour of the hue to their wings. More a yellow then an orange now. I looked at their marks across their arms. I make checks with the current ranks as we knew them; this was a correct colour for a officer.
"Then your of higher rank then us both." I voiced, "We are only rookie traniees." This new friend gasped, "Yeah, everyone keeps doing that. Yet it were the ordered by a general and must as always go without question." They frowned, "We have set meeting points to make anyways; staying in angel territory or make passing with allies often." They have a questionable stare, "yes, I know it's not a easy agreement to follow but a gerenal's order is what has to be done."
"We will see if this lot do a good job of keeping it." walking with the clothus has brought on a change of landscape, having to march through difficult slops. There is worry of being lost. To sooner greeted by allies is a welcoming grant – having clothus speaking of the events with respected equals. For a angel's camp – this place is a mix of other races I haven't seen before. My freedom to wonder around and recored them had been my next order of business… I seem to just keep finding nightmares, the few ally demons, the undertakers and the upper ranking sectors of angelic order here.
"Kate!" I get called up and walked into this sort four way, "You have our copy."
"Yeah, I fetch that." I stepped around to shadow and scare the ever daylights out of folks when walked around again, "Untouched from the day it was sealed… You know, I think I have more mail than this." I pattered about on air with looking at the filling from my shadow, "There is these too." the bundles over to the correct people, "No one is expecting any packages right?"
"No." I still have those checked too. One small one over to someone here.
"I wasn't expecting a meesgaer too."
"No, just thought to help them since we were crossing over to greet you." I tilted with wondering the issue around here, walked around to my partner and have my head rested to his side or shoulder. I pet in greeting and they go through the papers. The sealed both again and it's handed back. Back to storage it disappears in tail grasp. Offered a fruit and a loaf of bread. I take them and have them placed away too. I gentle thanks.
"Other then being threat maker and a liar, there is not much issue with the mock angel. Your Rookie being not use to seeing person dying will pass. Both do a good job for watchers."
"May I please skim through your records?" we both offered a pile of those we finished, "Your very good at making notes. Both of you." They take a skim through them as they said they would and frozen at sections being written. The one or two glances over the clothus around here and the overall worry. This were passed with the new notes made in the last day with how the chains of krama were used on the entire group – those left being forgiven or untouched. The books closed and handed back.
"By which laws were all tested to?"
"This lands laws." We echo each other and sorted the books back to a order of written. The prolonged ponder on why I still mocked one of them was getting annoying for them – I could read the mood at least. I got off at the least and faded to only the return a total twin of my partner. Stood with watching for orders.
"You are two rest here with us for now, we give you some tests in tomorrow and see how much you skills could still be of use." We bowed and looked around the place. Castor directed to a spot and I nod. Get on with pitching up two or three tents. To accommodate for the extra people we brought to this camp. I went on to fixing up a controlled fire and boiling some water and mixed up some food for everyone that needed it. Chopped up stuff for a filling stew for anyone to eat. Cutting up the loaf for share to have as a side part of the dish. I find that I craved a few wood bowls up to best serve this dish tonight. Taking no less then a minute per bowl. Sharing out to anyone sitting with us was easy but had so many mixed results. As I would hand to clothus, nightmares, humans and just about anyone really. Even the odd plant that joined us, given a bottle of water in meal. The seen of floating bowls for those that don't have sight is a really hard thing to grasp.
"Right, so… who around us?" My partner taking the seats we have.
"We have our friends from before – clothus and ink there. A few just undertakers, humans and the extra few other nightmare types. You and me." and I step to the sit, "And a plant friend. I quite like this; so much diversity."
"What are you then if not anything you just listed?"
"A lizard." I play with a wave and take a seat. Eat like them.
"Like corpse puppet?"
"No. I would not be a angel's partner if I was a corpse plus reptile." It's all that the get from here, just long silence of eating like them and prolonged blinking from being tired. None could see my eyes anyways. Everyone talking about things, letting us learn into their perception of what they believe. For a long while, everyone spoke as if they understood each other and talking of their differences. But when you start paying any true attention; it's a petty argument on what should be the correct terms.
In some ways it dimished the point of coming together for conversation. But there is bit of oversight by me, they can't even see each other; why would they hear each other too? It's being so close to almost touch while being the other side of the universe to whom they are reaching out to. What used to be the metaphor for splitting apart as lovers takes on a more realistic true when looking at them.
"Something the matter?" Caught off guard.
"To be so close but infint apart; I guess it's a interesting and depressing thought. Has it always made others so lonely? To reach out towards nothing hoping for it to be someone really there." I get a lot of strange looks at me, "man, I haven't had such depressing thoughts in a very long time." I wipe it away and try to cover back up, "Anyone up for more food?"
Just mostly a strange trade of stares to places they had been ignoring; only to me that is seems they did try to understand my meaning or if I was joking. Some just think the floating bowls is a trick of the fire or a joke by me. It's hard for them to grasp out to realize it at all. I wonder how many people I couldn't see as a living lizard. It's a interesting thought with more confusion. I settle with heading to bed first; I freely shifted to my shape and coiled alone on the centre mass as a decoration. To be overlooked as just tent structure.
No dreams followed and the twilight had left me still alone in here. Yet given the beding around me. I wasn't alone last night. Breakfast fruit piled around, muching away not as quite as I hoped. My sounds had someone look through the tent; scratched for what was missed.
"One short?" I faded on the other side of them, at the corner of view… mocking a human figure but not any colour but the void left by the absence of light. They try hard to study my expressions.
"if your talking about them angel folks; they gone out training." I picked up the last fruit and ate the large fruit whole spat out the nut. They backed away with light moving towards me; colour faded in filling out as a human or angel would averagely.
"Alright, thanks for letting me know." I stepped around, put my gear back on as I have always. They looked around the tent confused with counting the beds in here, "Don't threat over shadows, I often sleep hidden from sight." They arched a questioned looked, "I don't know what your thinking. But you sure seemed fooled. Not all shapeshifters look the same, right?"
They stepped out with me and I looked about how bow practice was going. I studied the wrong's made on purpose to they feel like they been teaching us. Walked out to pick up the targets, I trust my partner to shoot the target in my hands. Laughing with how silly they were about me.
"Something the matter? No used to moving targets?"
"Do not mock others."
"I wasn't trying to." I caught the arrow made to me on purpose, "I love the disgin of this arrow, clearly a fine marker and silver smith." I clicked it a few times and altered it a ring, tossed it back to the shooter. A good caught by them, "I didn't mean to inturpet anyone; just naturally nosy."
"since you can fake one of us, can you pull off bow arching?"
"We trained together. There's no doubt in either our skills; despite always needing improvement in something."
"Yeah, slouching a bit to much."
"You need better aim."
"Nothing wrong with my aim… I just like to aim slightly to the left. It's… well, habit." I laughed, "Not a fond one."
"You demon?"
"No." I laughed at them and have another shot take towards me, the plam of my hand there to bend the arrow out of shape. Plucked from between my scales and bend back by my own strengths. I check the straighten shaft and tilted with being distracted by something new. Reflective light bouncing off something; altered to a cat for all the chase fun.
"Hey!" I must have jumped on someone and off them to a tree. To pick up this annoying light maker, jumping down with them in my jaws. A lot of fun with how scared they rag doll. No dead.
"Look I found a person in tree!" I danced with bring them over, "Would you like them?"
"A what?" I drop them and poked them about.
"never mind, just another nightmare walker." I pick them up and go drag them over to some nightmare folks, "Hey, you would like this one. Not that a angels understood."
"Thanks?" dropped and a large debt was soon screamed between them. This new comer sat at the centre all scared. I gave them a fruit and walked on back to the angels. Go have a nice sit on one of the target boards. Towards the end, I get the wave for arrow returns. I just to lazy and used my shadow to swallow them up and pile in a stack by his feet. He shows that the lessions had help in a long way and does a more honest shot of the targets, and the few trick shots for showing off. I stretched like a cat and have to catch an arrow in mid flight from down the target… just as I altered back to a mock human. I show off the vast amont of rings, being arrows in closed form.
"Watch the…" I caught the axe and have a prolong look at such a darker made weapon.
"What the heck is this made from?" I questioned with seeing no effect on me, "You should be more careful with something like this. A dark matiral can't be noticed in the…" I stopped talking and blinked, "Say, got any scales under that cloak?" I looked to the owner walking forwards, "Like, demon scales. You don't smell earthy."
"Excuse you?"
"What? I was being honest. Can't fool me with that smell. Them nasty smells really stink. Been corpse moving lately? It's my only other guess." They try taking the axe from me and I pulled the cloak off, "Hey! You have a fancy mirror cloak. That's cool and rude." They all froze up like that. Just at a moment of glaring at me for answers, "Makes me thinks stuff not right here."
"So, a spell would be good right now."
"But they haven't wronged the earth." I pointed out, "I mean, balance system whatever."
So my partner spoke his verse and had this one in chains. No chains dares touch around me and spreads over to the other friends around. Off I go dragging them to a spot and uncloacking them. All the fun stuff. The few nightmares in mistake. I really had stopped with looking at the chains that shattered around a undertaker. It was interesting to watch. I stomped about the place having fun at grabbing unsuspecting strangers.
"hey!" Picked up a plant, "Put me down or I will." I tilt and let my eyes be seen in study to them, "Please don't eat me."
"eat you? I guess I do like fruits." I put them down and the nut from before, "Have fun."
"How does it see us?" A demon asked another.
"It's eyes aren't just looking at this veil." My partner voiced to them, "Yes, I know. I understand you language. Very rare, I know."
"What ranking are you?"
"We are rookies." I jumped out of no where to them, "But they been saying they be announcing our new rank when we get back home – if at all."
"they been saying that like it's been a impossible to believe that we can." My partner sighed, "But wasn't you that talked about self-belief?"
"I believe we be just fine going back or not. It's not up to me." the strangeness aside they go sorting those that mean harm from the harmless. Letting them out again. Just left with them three spies that failed to spy. Explaining they been sent to behead someone for someone big's revenege. A bunch of things that didn't make all the much sense. But my partner stayed with the program. Having wrote it all down just fine.
"Watchers, right?"
"Yeah, lowest ranked."
"Watchers are often very exptional in status. Even the few that come here for duty are turned to be highly regarded. You be famous when you get back."
"Well that's not good." My partner muttered, "but then again; hiding in plain sights one of the requirements."
The comment wasn't noticed to be spoke in the slightest – just that folks were talking of the other watchers that were known about. Then the slow withdraw of wondering about what happened to them. There was minor commotion over the change of tents and if moving on was wise from walking out of the sight of the eye. I still don't get what that means – I have hear many talk about it and from all sorts folks. Even the repers believe in a limit they can walk this earth.
"I bet you could make a trip around the realms in a week." I commented and get a strange look, "Angels aren't the only one's that talk about the eye of something. Some even say there are more then one which explains why the lead else where. I still don't know if this is that true or not but from years of hearing people talk about eyes like doors."
"You must have skipped that lesson." My partner does a little write up and suggested that I sit to his shoulder. I altered into a bird and hop on checking him for anything wrong, "Best that we do a disappearing act." I looked around and see the point – faded us both and sunk away before being seen. I fluttered a smaller bird and took us from this spot. To the tent's to check on whom packed or not. It seems the clothus were here in waiting, stepped out from shadows and so we twin with looking at them all. With how silent they are.
"That demon troops must picked up on the angel trails." I wrote this conversation out as Castor listened to them, "Maybe they have the help of nightmares around here to fend the demon hoard off but best we as neutral. To stay out of this. Whom knows with nightmares – often thought a curse on us and then proven to be real creatures from other realms beyond ours."
"You will not mind if I joined in?" A undertaker pair, "Not in being rude, but neutral is what we do too."
"As long there aren't issues." The prince let them have a seat. The clothus sitting around us two did a freak out with us both just being here, "Go to see my contract with you two goes unchanged despite the war out there."
"This land was always suffering someone else influence to war or be the grounds of war. It's what makes this land so angery at us afterliving dwellers and beyond realm visitors." I commented causally into this, "It's no wonder they been adapting faster then they should have."
"That mock lizard is a expert in such facts; don't be to fooled by their looks. It often has something to say about this living lands."
"Faster as of late?" the undertaker picked my words out, "Adpting into what?"
"You don't want that answer. The answer you seek is what to do to reverse the damage being made; and that I have yet to work on how. Eons of evolution being changed over the space of a year… a terrible fate that one day it's not going to cope with it."
"You still answered my question but with a different language."
"they do that often when the words are hard hitting." My partner clarified, "they know how much words can hurt others – even truth can be to much to bare on others. I would think stopping the war on a truce would work."
"I thought there was one unless you lot are assuming humans to be dead again."
"What? Humans have nothing to do… how old are you?" the undertaker stared at me, "that's not common knowledge to be suggesting there."
"metal vault tombs… such technology cashes… forgotten again. I do hope the grim haven't… they made a promise to the living." I see the grim stare at me darkly, "Good, you do remember or have heard. That's not needing any historical repeats. Nothing good somes from the price or war and slaughter."
"Yeah, despite us being the same age. They recall past lives to some very scary detail. I understand the burdens that we must always keep silent around others. I of the agreement; it's better to never let history try repeating itself. The many wars between humans to the wars we scar this land with… war seems a answer that all call to but never wanted."
"You're the owner of the pet?"
"By angel laws, yes. But I don't see it that way."
"I am not a cute cuddle fluff." I mutter, "Or a feathered know it all bird, is what I am getting at."
"Right so a reptile hidden in a body?"
"No, I change shapes, sweetie." I smiled with breaking the jaw line, "I don't need a foul stentch the hang around me." I lessen back to a normal stare and continue with my writing, "I have to ask out of curisoty but what a pair of undertakers do so far west? Isn't the interest of momunets lost touch or something?"
They stare confused.
"Stone circles right?"
"there are the few here but there more of them across the oceans. On the small isle's. the once world empire, the united kingdom... forest that hide the things now."
"Why do you know that?"
"I was a very curious creature in other lives; many lives and many chances to pick open books from ruins. Steal them for human use later. Yes, it was a good thing, then." I sighed.
"You stress over everything. I am sure those out here are better with skills you taught them."
"I should continue to hope. You're right."
The tent protected us from the passing daylight hours that blazed throughout the fighting, none here were touched by the war out there. The dusk allow me and the few others to pack away the tent around us and the one next door with nothing in it too. The third left as it was full of things. Finishing with placing them away to my storage for now and our sneak walk out of here; around to follow the next place.
The breeze picked up so that I may flight with scanning ahead of the group. Passing nothing that would pose as anything threats; nothing that they couldn't avoid. I circled back around to watch behind for any followers; the few nightmare runners – they don't bother me. Back over following their trail and taking land on the bones of someone that died here. souls well gone, I bury them as just before the group would see me. I place ever piece with care; left a coin as gift for them.
The soul back to blanket them. Let them rest, be at ease and my the soils bless you in your new life here or beyond.
"Kate?" I was interrupted, "Come on." Picked up off my knees and directed to the shadows. Everyone was in the trees but us two in shadow… something spooked this lot.
"bones…." A false cat crawler, "bones moved…" this thing slivered from the forest and danced around in breaking the normal joints, "no human around but buried… no after spwan? Maybe." It thinks out loud in it's own world, "me expect trade if do." I got my partner off my arm and altered to my ogrinal shape but not my normal colours. White as snow; I coiled stare off with them.
"Not a me."
"Not a cat crawller." I muttered in their language, "Who are you and have I disturbed you?"
"You move bones?"
"I moved body."
"Why?"
"Respect of the dead. You not a cat crawller."
"Oh, see through us." It broken into eight things; these are preditors that mock shapes. They call each other 'dot' while being of single minded like colony of ants, "You not a cat crawller."
"A afterlife dweller, but an ex-reptile to here. If I trade, you leave me and friends of mine alone."
They do this looking around and look back to a 'tree'. It breaks a branch off of the main brained centre. I swept my tail of may things that I took for this reason. it takes the spare food and nothing else. But it stopped at a bone carving… looked at it and then at me.
"We traded before when you lived. A good talker. Sorry for loss and hope you better now."
"Better now yet still the same. But not a meat eater anymore." Snickered with them, "the above is peaceful and is of no fears."
"Really? I like that." It smiled and bowed, "You friend as always. I let you be on your ways with your friends left alone."
"Thank you for the talks and trade, Donot." I give them a prayer and blessing, "Let be pure in you chooses for what you do. It's why you do that bring you higher." They all folded back to the false tree and the group lowered to skip past them, my partner stares at them and looks about me. I lower with greeting him back, gentle to step out walked this way for a while. Stomping around in rings around the group as they moved on.
"How come you traded with them?" I were asked by the undertaker, "Clearly there is history."
"I were the apex preditor here but I was the one of few that spoke first before kill. Dot's are the second highest preditor. We found benefit in trade then me erasing their existence over this land. I was in this belief that without them; the plants would take us all." They peered oddly, "To many fake tree's, is what I say. I miss the forest that smells earthy. Here, in a fake one; the stench of rotten and dying isn't pleasant to live in. I walked this earth searching for a better home. I died never finding it. Yet I guess things are better now. I don't just got a home but family I can cherish and protect. Make's my living history such more a sorrow. To have walked alone and be fear by them around you. Being a top preditor was a boring and lonely experience. I bet kings think like that."
"Well, that was a lot of thought behind those words."
"A lot of mixed emotions and experiences." I corrected, "Life like that mean everything because I didn't know beyond. Those conversations between the locals was a chance to talk to someone at all; no matter the broken languages."
"Did you hate it? that life and it's worse."
"Life here has balance where there is bad thinks comes around the corners of something wonderful. Addictive emotional roller coaster that leaves what was a blank slate into a person. Sets you up for the next several lives you follow after it."
"Sorry, what?"
"Soul's remember things; and this land leaves a interesting impression on them." I laughed lightly, "You will not understand; as the minds are wipe clean with every new life they become. It happens to me too but not properly."
The moments before dawn, up the tents were placed in a clearing and I was able to mock a angel shape. So I may finally help and clean up. Those that helped avoided me but always around my partner. I expected that from showing my original shape.
They continued the conversations of what seems normal about me and if I had ever meant harm. Yet given the story by my brothers view; they weren't so worried about me. When it came to me cooking a meal for everyone, they didn't once flinch away from my gestures. Got over the worries so it seemed. They moved to new topics with how heaven has been according to our views but I didn't input my thoughts as I was still unsure of a correct answer. My brother spoken as any angel will say; but he left the words to be more open to guess. Settled down enjoying the meal; everyone had their take of talking about their realms.
The clothus being more confusing in the use of political talk over it. what I gathered was four countries having a trade wars or criminal issues. Then this talk of a place trying to be a country but failing by several laws – some isle that all want the claim of owning but none have maagaed it. Since it were owned by someone long dead but never passed down their deeds. Something that never came back. The names forgotten as there been revenge plots by this name on all the four kings of each country. I knew this name but I wasn't going to give them the real history. It's not for commoners. Not even the prince.
"Would anyone ever learn the truth?" my partner is aware of my knowledge but hasn't connected the dots yet.
"Everything locked by a cursed ring. The rings a key to it all but the spirit haunting it kills the host or makes the host wearer plot death on the thrones."
"This all stems back a long time, even when we knew what the twilight meant." Another laughed, "That stuff lost and not coming back from the dust."
"You all heard the story of twilight?"
"The shord over humanity when the vaults first opened; the tale told in several many versions that the real story is also lost."
"A great shame to lost that history." I commented, "But I guess it be better to leave the dust to be dust. To trail such a tale is unhealthy; to speak it is often a joke for you."
"Wow, I didn't realize you hit a nerve." The clothus muttered, "You would happen to know anything?"
"I prefer if I lied." I scoop seconds, "such a story created from a few of my lifetimes. I should have to tell; a burden that should only be mine to carry with the grims."
"Excuse you?" the grim voiced, "I get that the shroud was us grim but I didn't ever hear a version where a reptile played a part of it."
"No. There are no reptiles in that story." I agree with eating into a paused silence, "but the bird is."
"what bird?"
"I don't want to talk about this. It's long passed now and there been improvements since. The story should have stayed in my grave and I wish it were lost and not fondly remember like today."
They have a while of reflecting over everything and trading stories about the twilight – so many versions being told all the more wrongly. I let them as I wasn't in any mood to be correcting anyone with this story.
"Which dairy is it?"
"One I burned into ashes as it was burned with my body."
"You never said you been crememated before."
"I don't like talking about tht sorry life. I were much enslaved and hated my last master. Such a soured little…" I stopped talking, "I don't like that life but I can't change history. Maybe without it; I would have been that more wiser around these cloth mist puppets."
"What did you just call us?"
"Nosy folks that don't need to know."
There was still a lot I kept from my partner; despite my tries to preaper him for those turths. I have even let him in my mind and see my thoughts on why I should tell him everything; my goal pf protecting for now and loss let on with learning what had been.
Our journey continued by the next night; packing up and moving onwards to the next destination. Tbe same pattern of watching ahead and behind. The landing when told of camping up the next day. We find other conversations getting in the way of personal development; such as the worry of taking us to a bar. There seems to be this bar the clothus come to trade often to.
I feel like I been there before. Not in a good way. Sat as a bird to stare at people and be a alarm system – not good memories. The laws of the bar were mirrored to the clothus realm; having servents put bellow like cattle for sale.
"We can make out to be honoured guest; place is all about trade of words, right?"
"You have been there or something?" I squared right through them in testing how scared it takes them to be. I were stopped with being handed a fruit.
"It's a good plan though. We could pull it off, but as what?"
My mind been drifted off with this conversation. To be camping a short walk to this bar is a important point to be making right here, just in case this were missed in you previous understanding of this conversations recorded by Castor. This was the big talk in leading up to the bar.
"Knew anyone that might be dead that could still be alive?"
"No." My partner to young for that to happen yet and to new for friends like that.
"I have several ideas… not wise ones." I hummed, "How about…" pass my look with my partner with passing over a book he hasn't read, "I hoped you take you time with this one. Understand who I am now to whom I was in this." He takes it and walked into my shadow, "Given him about 4 hours reading… maybe longer if he becomes upset with me."
The book in mind of this isn't a something to be read by angels not ready to face the reality. There been written many secerts into that books; so many of them for at the time could have broken goverments in all systems and a lot of my bias hate for the afterliving folks that claim this land as their own. My hiss with how they dare forgotten the fundamental laws that protected this place. Most of all, the argument that triggered the kull of humanty. My hate for myself and the one that owned me at the time. How I ruined their realm in divine punishment for breaking mine… a accepted understanding by my now dead own. The soul still haunting the ring that controls power to the clothus. This spite that he will have until brought forwards justice.
"You very sneaky reptile with a checkered past. How the heck you make it to heaven?"
"I hated my chooses or when I were forced into anything; I often try to refuse that. I wasn't a nice bird… Not at all helpful – dispsite the secrets I knew then too."
Yes, that bar as a alarm bird left with more secerts then I can care having. Pass codes to trading deals, which I did use later in my next life. Met with many people that I came to pick out corpse loot from. The infamous and famous alike. Noticed by all and over looked by others. You can be a total stranger in that bar; as long as you followed the basics. Don't break the rules, don't order any drink (their all tainted) and most of all do not agree into anything. Best be a mute. I wrote in that book.
"Very sneaky reptile." A blade poked at me, "Not a spy for anyone."
"Poke me with that and you might loss a hand too." I squared with them backing off, "You're not worth the dust clouds that comes with taking your little lives. Frist world problems for you – makes me sick and sad."
The length that anyone as ever studied me has been roughly 1:30 to about 5 minutes. Not many have broken this patterned avareage; this one isn't different. Yet if my eyes were showing, scales seen or mistake the corners of my mouth again; this is time counting is doubled. None have had to deal with me as my real shape – not long enough to worry.
"Shesh, you a ex-human?" Ironic when looking back; I was human for a brief time, died a normal death and ended up that god horrible bird… then I was many things that never lived that long. Same were said before I were protecting humans; short lived slayer. It's been since protecting humans that I have been living longer – despite being under worse danger.
"I were… too. A longer time before being that bird." I sighed, "May have short lived lives back then; to short to even clarfy if I was really living or not. A philosophical question sort of thing; answered with ' they were lives and not life'. There is a difference you folks over look so much."
"To live day to day veruses this idea of living to become something at the end or sense any accomplishment." The prince got my meaning, "It a very heavy debated question with my family and the houses around me. Asking what is the point of it all."
"The humans were like that." I sighed and this comment was off guard to them.
"How would you know? What does it have to do with being a ex-human in another life. Don't you understand that being reborn doesn't work like that." I peeled that scale again; coming up to a shedding skins again, "Have you been a reincartation for long?" Such nosy Clothus.