Minds Edge Madness in its sweetest form's blog: "Stuffz"

It was nearly nightfall of the next day when Alais returned to Zasch, blinking suddenly into existance outside of the cave. She raced into the cave, to find Zasch quietly conversting with the werewolf woman still. The woman was still wrapped in Zasch's cloak, but she looked as if she were uncomfortable to be out of her hybrid wolf form.

Alais allowed a moment to survey the strange woman. She was dirty, but her skin was fair, with fiery red hair. She had one green eye, and one blue. She was lovely by any human's standards, dirt and grime aside. Alais blinked over, shouting telepathically into Zasch's mind, "It's a Goristo."

The mention of the demonic name drew Zasch's attention, and she could sense is sudden unease. A Goristo was far from a simple demon. They were often the favored creatures of many of the greatest named demons. And with terrifying reason.

"You are certain?" Zasch asked in aloud, making it clear to Lupa that he was speaking to the Wisp.

With her certain response, Zasch, slumped against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest as he usually did when he went deep into thought He wasn't sure what he could do now, a Goristo was too much of a challenge for him to try and face alone, even if the monstrosity had not companions with it.

"What is it?" Lupa demanded harshly, not comfortable being left in the dark with information she, in her opinion, had every right to know.

"It's a demon, a Goristo," Zasch explained, sounding as if he'd lost all hope of taking the creature down.

"So, let's kill it!" she exclaimed in ecstacy, which drew a disconfirming shake of Zasch's head.

"You don't get it. A Goristo is the kind of demon that is favored among the greater demons. I coouldn't even begin to hope to take this thing down."

Lupa glared angrily, "You aren't! We are!"

Zasch looked over at her, "You and your pack stand no chance against the demon. I held my own against you, and you don't know what to expect of this creature, I do."

"Well then you can explain on the way," she argued, and tossed his cloak back at him, standing defiantly.

The symobolism of her stance was lost to Zasch as he looked the other way, in his mind only seeing a naked woman standing there. He watched Alais, but she seemed to be waiting for him to decide the next course of action, for once offering him no advice on how best to proceed. At one point in time he had secretly thought Alais was actually a vessel through which Instructor Muriel spoke to him.

Maybe I should prepare a teleportation circle, and have Alais request Instructor Muriel's aid, Zasch thought. Maybe Kallista. He let out an audible sigh, when a sharp pain in his cheek sent his head recoiling to the left. When he turned to view what had hit him, Lupa stood over him angrily.

"We are wasting time!" she yelled at him.

Zasch stood up, no longer bothered by her nudity, and held her gaze evenly, "Listen up wolf. You and your three packmates are of absolutely no threat to this creature. It's not even of this world. It's not natural. It'd swallow your packmates whole, and rip you in half."

Lupa eyed him angrily, "I have more than three packmates, the others were out hunting fool."

Angrily Zasch stepped towards her, glaring bitterly, "You're not listening to me you idiot. You and your wolves would be a snack for this monstrosity. I don't even think I can stand up against a goristo."

Lupa held his gaze evenly, she was a true pack leader, refusing to back down, he had to give the lycanthrope woman that much credit, "This is not a negotiation."

Zasch looked to Alais, as if expecting the Wisp to offer some advice, but she merely giggled in amusement at the whole situation. Zasch glared at her darkly, but that just made her giggle all the more, excited to draw a rise out of her companion. Several hours later, Zasch, Lupa, Alais, and five wolves were stalking through the forest together.

Lupa, to her credit, or maybe out of respect for Zasch's awkwardness around her when she was nude, had dawned some scant clothing, but it didn't cover much. Alais blinked along quietly, amused at how uncomfortable Zasch was around the woman. Zasch had sent her numerous telepathic threats, but she paid them no heed, and continued to tease and poke fun at Zasch. She had done the same with Kallista.

"How do we find this creature?" Zasch asked, glancing at Lupa.

"I thought you would know."

"I thought you did since you managed to find it once before."

Lupa nodded, and fixed him with a prideful smile, "Oh we do, I just wondered if you had any magical tricks up your sleeves."

"I'm going to kill her yet Alais," Zasch remarked in the arcane language.

Alais just giggled, and Zasch turned back to the woman, "And what's this trick of yours?"

She smiled and tapped her nose, "Scent."

As if that were a cue, one of the wolves ran ahead, and began sniffing the ground, looking to catch a scent of the demon they sought. The wolf perked up its ears and began to take the lead. The moon was nearly at its peak when the group stopped in a small clearing, Zasch sitting quietly.

"What is it?" Lupa asked.

"We should rest."

Lupa looked hesitant to agree, but she didn't argue, and brushed away some leaves on the ground. The five wolves walked up to her and curled up around her, one letting her rest her head on its stomach, all five keeping close so they could keep her warm. Zasch leaned back against a tree, and sighed to himself.

That's when he noticed Lupa's blue and green eyes looking at him, and he turned to regard her curiously. She said nothing, just observed him curiously for a long while. Zasch couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable under her scrutiny, but after awhile she finally turned away and closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Soon, Zasch followed.

Morning came, and Zasch was awakened to a wolf gently nuzzling him awake. Zasch glanced over, a little surprised by the creature's gentleness, and cautiously rubbed it's muzzle as a sign of affection and gratitude. The wolf barked happily in response, and Zasch looked over to see Lupa giving him a genuine smile.

"He says you're welcome," she answered Zasch, and turned her back to the Shadar-kai.

With that, their small troupe continued, one of the wolves leading the way to their quarry. Zasch walked calmly alongside Lupa, and she looked over at him curiously.

"What?"

"Should I expect to find our quarry teleported all over the place as you did with me?" she demanded, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

Zasch pulled his hat a little lower over his eyes, and nodded, "Indeed, do you think you and your pack can handle it?"

One of the wolves howled in response, and Zasch was glad for the high collar of his coat hiding his smirk as Lupa turned away indignantly, "Of course we can."

It was just past midday when they halted outside of a clearing, the group hidden among the thick foliage as they eyed the goristo in the blood stained clearing. Zasch hated demons bitterly, and the sight of the numerous murdered men, women, and children, and their blood splayed so uncaringly across the ground incited a rage he had never before known.

Lupa put a calming hand on his shoulder, sensing his growing temper, and boiling hatred that was directed at the demon. The wolves calmly and quietly fanned out around the clearing, surrounding the unaware demon. Zasch had discussed this with Lupa earlier, that they were to surround the monster and allow Zasch to get in the first strike before they opened the attack. At least he could try and keep some of them alive in the process.