Reincarnated Remake

[pudding]

Ranaghar largely remained silent as they travelled, rarely coming down from the top of the wagon. He was constantly watching and rarely seemed to sleep, if at all. But clearly, being away from the forest was starting to affect him in some way as he occasionally could be found with his eyes closed. He still didn't eat, or at least not with anyone, but was a good lookout to check for danger.

"Wait," he suddenly barked one afternoon as the wagon rolled down the trail. Fia quickly stopped and looked back as Ranaghar stood up, peering out into the distance. Squinting slightly, he scowled and looked downwards. "Strangers approach from the East," he said. Fia jumped immediately at that, looking around quickly.

"Which way is East?" She squawked. As soon as Ranaghar pointed, she dug her claws into the dirt and began to move as fast as she could in the opposite direction. The cart quickly picked up speed, moving much faster than the slow pace they had been going at. "Then we're going West!"

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ash dashed after them. "Wolves are east! Wrong way! Head south, then east... go around them!" He pants the suggestion. He ran along the cart as the dust cloud drew closer so everyone else can see it.

 

Derek dug in his nails in the wood as the ride turned bumpy.

[pudding]

"West!" Fia replied back, rocketing forwards at an even faster, panic-induced state. The wagon groaned slightly under the strain as Ranaghar clung to the roof of the wagon, trying not to get flung off despite the bounce. But whereas others had claws to help they stay on the wagon, he had no such aid. As the wagon rolled over a stone, Ranaghar suddenly found himself bouncing into the air and falling, head over heels until he hit the dirt. Coughing, he slowly stood, drawing his sword to face the rapidly approaching cloud of dust. He couldn't catch up to the wagon. He wasn't that fast.

"Wait, he fell off!" James yelled, his claws dug into the bottom of the wagon. "We can't just leave him there! We need to help him!"

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Turn back! Fia turn back!" Derek tried to command without biting his tongue "stop!" It was too fast for a jump, even if he tucked and rolled.

 

 

Asheron skidded to a stop and quickly changed back to Ranaghar. "Get on quickly!" He pranced watching the closing cloud.

[pudding]

As the command was barked out, Fia suddenly froze in mid-stride. Her ankles briefly glowed before they snapped together with a large among of force, causing the bird to trip and immediately fall to the ground. The wagon quickly lost it's momentum without her carrying it and screeched to a halt, nearly rolling over Fia's legs in the process.

Ranaghar glanced back at the wagon as it suddenly stopped then quickly shook his head. "Guard the wagon," he replied with a scowl, taking a few steps backwards towards it. "We cannot outrun them. we must defend ourselves instead."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Derek suddenly felt horrible as he found the big blade and hopped out helping the bird up. "I'm so so sorry! I didn't know that would... you okay Fia?" He readied for a fight. Asheron danced around, rearing, nostrils flaring, eyes wild. He danced behind Ranaghar, kicking and bucking trying to kick up dust to make whatever it was think there was more in the group.

[pudding]

((I was thinking it could be a group of centaurs but I can make it something else if you want. Its up to you.))

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((I would like to make it a group of centaurs. That's what I thought they were but he said "strangers" so in their minds it can be anything.))

[pudding]

Fia slowly stood up but by that point, it was too late. The creatures stirring up the dust quickly surrounded the group, forming a large circle around them that quickly began to tighten, forcing Ranaghar to step back towards the wagon much more quickly. They were large creatures and numbered around twelve or so. They largely resembled Ash in body structure but were noticeably different colors, most of them being brown or lighter colors instead of having Ash's black hide. Most of the group appeared to be made up of males, if not all. Moving as one, the group suddenly stopped and turned quickly to face the wagon they had encircled.

"Centaurs," James breathed, not moving from the wagon. His grip around the stone tightened as he stared at the group. A few small whispers passed through the group but they faded as the largest centaur stomped his hooves against the ground.

"Why have you trespassed upon our land?" The centaur asked, clearly addressing Ash.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Asheron stood stalk still. He was already the size of a quarter horse (larger than his dad), but these men were bigger then he was although he was sleek and slim like a Arabian horse. He took a deep breath raising his head slightly. "We are only passing through to the wolf woods. We shall not linger more then we need too. I was highered as a guide for these travelers. Even they know our sense of direction is impeccable." hopefully he looked strong. He didn't feel like it. His saddle bag was in the wagon, along with his blanket and tunic.

[pudding]

"What herd do you belong to?" The centaur replied immediately with a frown. He looked over the group with a disapproving scowl. When he looked back at the cart, he huffed slightly then stepped forward, his tail swishing back and forth. "Who stands among your party? I've never seen so many different creatures who would associate so freely with others."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Asheron stepped back. He faintly remembered his mother's mother telling him the herd name, but it was rude to lie to an elder. He lowered his head. "I am not of a herd. I was I was appointed as a guide by the king of the humans. I speak the truth when I told you we only seek passage to the wolf wood."

 

Derek tilted his head. "Stands? What does he mean by stand? Like who's the leader?" He whispers to Ranaghar.

[pudding]

Ranaghar nodded slightly, his hands fidgeting on his sword. He couldn't go up against these numbers, not so far away from the forest. He could already feel his energy waiting away and it wouldn't be wise to engage in a fight now. Still, he was not so ready to give up if a fight did approach.

The centaur made a clear and distinct look of disgust at that statement. His expression quickly hardened and he made a quick gesture with his hand. "Then you can give our regards to the human King. This wagon will not be permitted to pass. Consider if taken off of your hands."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

This made Asheron snort and stamp his hooves. "Now wait a minute! Do you not know of the stories of the two heroes? Have you not heard the rumors of the Evil in the north? Surely one of your herd elders remember or know of stories of such a thing happening! War is coming! The stars would be blacked out of the sky, all your land destroyed by fire or blood! We are trying to avoid this! And yet you wish to bring this upon you. Do you not see this in the stars? Has my wild kin forgotten the Star weaver's way?!" He reared and stamped pacing about, his blue eyes wild, fists clenched. "Funny how us who live among the humans see things clearly, perhaps your sky is already choked and black with smoke and dust!"

[pudding]

The group immediately began stomping their own hooves. The rumbling that rose up around them was honestly quite terrifying and James quickly ducked back into the cart, holding his stone close. Approaching, the leader towered easily over Asheron, scowling down at him. "Look, kid, you're one of us. If you want to, you can stay with us. But you need to get your head out of the ground and take a look around. If you're itching for a fight you can have on of those but I'll warn you right now we won't be going easy on you. Consider yourselves prisoners for the foreseeable future. If the humans think they can just kidnap our friends and family, we can do the same right back."

"What's this crazy looking bird you've got over here?" One of the centaurs piped up, stepping closer to Fia. The bird shrunk under the gaze, clucking nervously under her breath. She was stuck attached to the wagon and couldn't get out unless someone detached her but she wasn't to pleased with where this was going. Playing stupid was probably going to be her best option. Just pretend she couldn't talk or anything like that.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"A result of human cross breeding." He turned and faced the leader, looking up at him. "We are on a human mission, yes, but do you see any of us human? Do you think I am to young and ignorant to know what humans do? My elder mother was the lead shaman and star reader of the Eastern painted flanks herd. They took her when she had a broken leg. I know what they do. I was appointed for I volunteered to go. Elder Atha was to weak, otherwise she would have come to see her lands once more before she joined all the other shamans in the Path. She wanted one of her descendents to see the planes for her. " He said, trying to look stern. Shamans and star readers are sacred to centaurs. He knowing both stars and plants would've been considered one in the wild, but he was among humans... and only seen as a guide and healer.

[pudding]

"I see one right here," The centaur replied coldly, lifting his leg up and nudging Ranaghar slightly with it. The guardian growled back, clearly tempted to bite the extended limb but managing to refrain himself. "Those words may have some weight if we were in the Eastern's territory. But this land belongs to us. And now, this wagon belongs to us." He whistled loudly and immediately the circle jumped into movement. Three centaurs jumped between Ash and the wagon, cutting both him and Ranaghar off from the rest. The centaur that had been inspecting Fia quickly unhooked her from the cart, preventing her from trying to pull it away. Lifting his sword, Ranaghar quickly met the blade of a centaur that had tried to attack him from the side.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"he's from the elves! He's the guardian of their forest! Would a human use such blades?! Can a human die and be reborn again? He smells of trees, nothing like a human!" He screamed and bucked leaping higher than some and kicking out at them snorting. Derek raised his sword and met another blade, he twisted and attempted to kick one in the jaw. "James a little help!"

[pudding]

James gripped the stone but quickly flipped it over and activated it. In moments it had transformed, taking on the appearance of the two-pronged fork. Jumping out of the wagon, he hesitated then swung the fork at a nearby centaur. Immediately, the centaur screamed and went stiff for a few moments before collapsing, spasming on the ground. James jumped slightly, as did several centaurs who quickly backed away from him. Looking down at the weapon, James stared then began to smile. Laughing, he sprang at another centaur, hitting his weapon against the centaur's sword. Even without the direct contact, the centaur went down just as easily as the first. Laughing borderline manically, James ran over to Derek, swinging his blade at the centaur he was fighting.

Snorting, the lead centaur charged past Ash, ignoring him completely in favor of slamming his body against James. The alien slammed against the cart and immediately went down, his head bleeding and his eyes closed.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Derek felt he had ice in his blood as he watched his friend become borderline insane. Even ash froze and stumbled. "I know now why you don't trust him Ranaghar.... but what just happened was not James... " Derek said raising his weapon against another centaur with a low growl. He planted his paws, now close to eye level with centaur as he bore his fangs. "Let us go. " He snapped.

[pudding]

The centaur snorted, clearly having no intentions of backing down, rearing up and striking at the wolf with his hooves. Nearby, one of the centaurs suddenly swept in, grabbing ahold of James and dragging him away from the group. Holding the limp alien up, he held a knife to his throat and snorted. "Cease!" The centaur yelled, holding up up higher. "Or he bleeds!"

Nearby, Ranaghar snorted, glancing around at the others. Would they give in? He wouldn't be the first to drop his weapon. Not for that thing.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Derek was too focused on the centaur that kicked him he swipes and snapped at the horse man dropped his unwieldy weapon for fangs and claws.

Asheron stopped fighting. "No! We need him to stop the Evil again!" Derek stopped in the middle of his attempt to subdue the centaur, teeth snapped inches away from his neck. He snarled loudly, eyes not leaving the centaur, but it was clear they have his attention.

[pudding]

Reluctantly, Ranaghar also let his blade fall aside, though his hostile attitude did not cease. Immediately, another centaur rammed into him, knocking him down into the dirt. Growling faintly, Ranaghar resisted the urge to jump back up and bite whomever had done that, instead allowing himself to be picked up and his arms tied firmly behind his back. Like a sack of potatoes he was hoisted up and held under the arm of a centaur. Nearby, the ones James had knocked down were being helped up by their neighbors.

"Good," The leader of the herd said, looking over the group. "Here's how it's going to go. We'll take the wagon and the rest of you. We aren't really fans of taking kin hostage so you are welcome to leave." He gestured to Ash at this as the rest of the group nodded. "Or you can join our band. We always welcome in any -taurs that want to join."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Derek let the centaur go and snorted as he shifted back and let them tie him roughly. He didn't however give up his dagger so easily and actually bit the hand that took it resulting in getting his chest bruised with two hoof prints before being carried.

 

Ash looked at his charges, his mind racing. If he was forced to leave, he can't rescue them. But he wasn't a fan of tricking his kind. He had to get them east somehow. "I'll join" He said softly.

 

((I thought they came from the east (I checked three times) that's why they needed to go east and ran west when they saw the cloud))

[pudding]

((Yeah, that's correct.))

 

"Lovely. We'll meet up with the main group by sundown." The centaur briefly focused on the few that had set about retying Fia to the cart. As soon as she was secured, one of the centaurs hit her side with a hand, spurring the bird to quickly jump into action and start pulling the wagon behind them. Trotting ahead of the group, the centaur began leading them to the east. "We used to just be centaurs but now we've got several factions that have joined up with us. The deer can be a bit prissy but they're useful for medicine and the Felitaur are great at fighting off threats. If you just roll with us, we'll teach you the ropes and make sure you don't get singled out."

Ranaghar frowned slightly as his centaur fell in line with the one holding Derek. Glancing up, he frowned then gnashed his teeth against the piece of fabric that had been stuffed between his teeth. He felt drained. He was tired and lethargic and his head hurt. Hopefully they could get out of this mess soon.