Jumping from a solo roleplay to a cowrite, Todd Blackpaws and Jarslboris Wildfall are back together! The Dashing young Ireacan and the charming fox bard. A real pair of rogues.. joined by the spiritual panthress Fahari!

Wildfall and Fahari meet up with her in this piece.

 
Warning: Language. I blame Mitch

No sound could be heard in the Spooky Forest other than the snapping of dry twigs and the animals in the distance as two figures moved silently through. Well, save for the sound of their bickering, that is.

"Are you sure we're not lost?" the brave Ireacan known as Wildfall asked his furry ally. "Because I feel pretty lost."

"Hey, don't take my word for it.. remember I'm the guy who says he saw God." Todd looked a little pissed. Immediately after the danger was over- and after he'd told them of his vision... well you can guess the shitstorm that created.

Wildfall sighed slightly and shrugged. "Well, we're already here so whatever you're after, I guess we might as well keep lookin'. Speakin of, what'd you say we were after again?"

"Not we- me. I don't know why you're hanging around... but I'm glad you are." Todd sighed. "Anyway.. I'm lookin' for the only source of spiritual connection we have."

"Well, Summer did say I should get out of the house more." Wildfall skipped over a large fallen tree limb. "Spiritual connection? So that hot panther chick?"

Todd had to stop walking as his brain made sense of 'spiritual connection' and 'hot panther chick.' "Um.. okay. Yeah the hot panther chick- who happens to be able to kick your ass for calling her a hot panther chick."

"Hey," Wildfall replied, twirling his weapon through the air. "If you got it, flaunt it, that's my motto."

"Does Summer kick your ass as often as I think, man?" Todd chuckled. "I mean.. maybe it's because I used to live in a cathouse but when the cat says shut up you don't keep talkin'!"

"Summer loves her some Wildfall," the Ireacan responded, not missing a beat. "So no, not too often. But fine, I'll keep quiet and let you two catch up. If we find her."

Todd shrugged. "Don't know if we'll be talking much. I'm sure she knows about as much as I do about this. But she's the only one with the connection, y'know?"

Wildfall nodded. "So you haven't told me much about this cat we're trying to save. I mean, is it literally a cat?"

Todd shrugged off a growl. "Not only is she a cat.. and, personally, I've always found myself wanting to hit on that white ass as much as you want to hit on Fahari. But she was the big Queen Bitch of the Feline Empire, man."

"I never hit on.." Wildfall paused. "Oh, you're saying you didn't want to hit on her? Some kinda irony, right?"

"Thought you said she was hot, man?"

Wildfall shrugged. "Well, I don't hit on everything I find hot. What's that 'creepin' up on us' noise, by the way?"

Todd chuckled. "With your luck? Hi, Fahari!"

"Hawdeehaww," Wildfall responded dryly. "Hii-larious. Seriously, scent out whatever it is, I don't wanna be pounced by some mangy beast."

"Greetings Mr Blackpaws, Mr Wildfall. I hope I am not too mangy for you sirrah." Came the distinctive purr from behind them- an uncharacteristically jovial purr.

"N-n-no you're just the right amount of - I mean!" Wildfall corrected himself, or tried to. "I meant the local monsters, ma'am. Ugly beasts in this part of the neck of the woods."

Fahari smiled.. a bit sadly. "I don't know, there has been this one beast that I have seen following me around. A black panther. I think he's kind of cute- but then again that might be the machine still talking."

Wildfall just shrugged, leaving it up to Todd to answer that particular comment. Which he did with his tongue deep in his cheek.

"Yeah, one time chicks are throwing themselves at men and I gotta be somewhere else."

Fahari shrugged.. and did Todd detect a bit of a blush? "Perhaps, but from what I hear your mission was not uneventful. Especially what was dismissed in the official reports."

"Ya know what it's like, being manly heroes," Wildfall boasted. "Er, not 'you know what it's like,' but... but you know how women throw themselves at.. er.. Todd here was just talking about his newfound spiritual beliefs, he probably wants you to hear."

Fahari nodded. "That is, indeed, what I am here to hear, Mr Wildfall. Although the tales of your sexual escapades with two overly agile females... Did you truly tear the chandelier out of your room's ceiling?"

Todd barked a laugh. "I told him he was too big to swing from it!"

"After you dared me to!" Wildfall humphed.

"You mean after I did it and..." Todd quieted down- Fahari was listening and there were better things to talk about. "I...I saw her."

"So I heard." purred Fahari. "Tell me, is she as beautiful as the monks of your order say?"

The next words were the most reverent ever to pass from Todds lips. "Even more so."

Fahari nodded, smiling a bit at his tone. "And now you wish to know how your life will change, now that you have been touched by the Light." There was no question, only an assured statement, but Todd nodded none the less. "The answer is simple- none at all. Live your life as it was meant to be lived- as you feel it must be lived." She smiled, softly. "Our lives will be judged soon enough. Those who go through life worried about that final verdict will never live at all. But you can rely on one thing. You have been touched by the Light, you can be sure that the Dark will turn their eyes to you as well."

Todd groaned. "Oh great! And with our next mission too!"

"So, like, what?" Confused Wildfall asked. "He's cursed or somethin?"

A smile smile from the Panthress monk. "Not cursed. Nor blessed. He is what he has always been. It is just that that has now been found to the Blessed Vixen's liking- so trouble cannot be far away." She then looked at Todd. "But, perhaps I am not the best source of compassion. I live with the Goddess' blessing every day of my life, whereas you are new to your Vixen's boon. Perhaps there is another who is better suited to guide you through such a time as this?" She then waited.

Todd thought. "You mean Dash? I know he keeps telln' us he has to save Catrina- even after all the shit she's done to him. But.. sometimes I don't think HE even knows why he does it!"

Fahari purred and nodded. "As is best. But one who is trained can see the mark of fortune upon others. And Dash wears that mark. I am sure when you discuss things with him he will remember his calling."

"But how are we gonna get to this 'Hey Daze' place?" Wildfall asked. "Isn't it like.. well you know... hell?"

"Hell has many names and faces among the peoples of the world. This is but one of them." Fahari nodded. "As for how, I'm afraid the methods are as many and varied as the gods and goddesses."

Todd chuckled. "Yeah and we don't have time for the regular ways, hon. Anything more now-like?"

Fahari looked thoughtful. "Well, the portal that the Queen of Hate used to attack the machine here was destroyed. So was the handbasket and the Sun Crystal saw to the destruction of the only other way in.. or so I am told. There were tales of a guy who went into Hell- but he was only going shopping for a pet..."

"Eh," Wildfall answered with a shrug. "I've shopped in worse. Still, I guess it beats hanging with a stooge trio all the time. Nyuk nyuk."

".. but I do not know how he entered." Fahari finished with a slight smirk. "But perhaps others may have thought it out and we may meet them on the road. Perhaps Mr Dash will be shown the way by the Goddess."

Wildfall looked into the distance. "So, I guess it's off to find Mr. Dash then."

Todd smirked. "Probably shacked up with some chick. Heh, strange. For a bunch of people with access to the Gods- we sure are a randy bunch."

"They know your heart is good, Mr. Blackpaws. Besides," Fahari smiled, "By all accounts our Goddesses are not celibate."

Todd laughed. "Yeah.. and from what I saw I can understand why all the gods wanna hit on the V-" He stopped, bristling, his ears and nose twitching. He looked at the panthress and she nodded back. She had sensed it.. or them... as well.

Todd resumed his joking.. but neither he nor Fahari were paying attention. Wildfall was, however, and he silently rated the performance 3.5 out of 10.

"Fall back," Zedika Dark called to his unseen ally. "They're onto us."

There was a growl. "I told you we were too close. Especially with your stink."

"I had to be close enough to hear for myself, you fool!" Dark reconsidered. "Nevertheless, I've found what we need to know."

*The growl deepened. "Don't EVER call me a fool again or you will have trouble with your next words. I would have approached them from downwind- and I heard their foolishness long before you did. Remember that!"

Dark ignored both the threat and the comment. "For this will reunite me with my greatest allies, the denizens of Hey Daze. Oh, to finally be allied with beings of my equal in intelligence and power after being surrounded by nothing but fools."

The growl ignored all that with a snort that said he knew who the fool was here. "You have fun with your brains, pal. Me? I'm lookin forward to making that little kitty my bitch!"

"Just remember," Dark reminded him gravely. "Our only objective is to stop Catrina from being, shall we say, 'reborn.'"

With that, Dark turned and vanished into the woods, leaving his companion alone. He stepped out of the shadows- a muscular specimen of a male fox dressed all in leather with leather straps instead of a shirt. the outfit either had a codpiece- or he was VERY happy to see you. His ears were pierced (left two, right three) as was his lip and a few other places we're not going to mention. He eyed the party as they moved out.

"Yeah, baby. You and me're gonna get it on! Maybe your friend too.. Heh...He looks the type."

The title gives it away, a little but I like the sudden switch at the end to the enemies! Can you tell who he's supposed to be? If not: hint!

AIL had a lot of characterization pieces, and this might count as one. Having the three meet up and agree to meet up with Dash. Though in the long run, it worked better than constant action and fight scenes would have. Showing an old threat joined by a new one is always a nice moment in a story when done right.

Writing with Mitch, the mind behind Fahari and Todd, was always a blast and always something I hope I'll get to do again someday. Next up, we'll start jumping into the action, and we'll have some weirdness with .. what's this?! An AIL debut? Up next!