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The ninja was running. Swirls of color flew past his eyes and clouds made up the ground he ran on. Faces would fly towards him from time to time. A young raccoon boy accused him of being heartless and cruel. An otter yelled that he was a lily-livered coward. Still the ninja ran. Several others called out for his death. He was not to be trusted they said. The ninja ran past them. Another face, one the ninja knew was somehow important to him wavered into view. It was a wolfess. She spoke to him and he stopped running.

"How could you think I could love you?" she asked. "You were responsible for your mate's death. You were unable to protect her you will prove unable to protect me as well."

"No. It wasn't my fault!"

"It was. Search your memories. You never finished your mission and because of that she died!"

"No! If I hadn't have gone on that mission I never would have fallen in love. It is the greatest thing in life and if I had killed her father she would have hated me. I did the right thing!" the ninja cried.

The wolfess's face changed. It became that of his old master, a wise ferret in a dark blue mask. "You failed me Hiroto. In doing so you failed yourself and your clan. You were never worthy of our village."

"Sensei, no, I, I did the right thing, please," the ninja pleaded.

"No! You disobeyed my order! You failed your mission and I died because of it," the ferret yelled.

The ninja found his will to resist growing. "There was no reason for the hostilities. Our villages had different views but that doesn't mean we should have killed each other! We still could have lived in peace!"

Again the vision of his master shifted. This time the ninja fell to his knees and wept. He knew that face he would never forget it. It was a vision burned into his memory. The face was another wolfess, this one had light brown fur and crystal blue eyes. The sadness on her face broke the ninja's heart.

"Akio-kun," said his dead mate. "Akio-kun why? Was it not enough to let me die that you had to disgrace my memory?"

The ninja held his face in his hands and cried. "No," he whispered. "No, please I didn't"

"Akio-kun, even now you lie to me. Did I mean nothing to you? Did you ever love me at all?"

The ninja sobbed he couldn't bear the thought of is lost love thinking him in this way. He was beyond words so he just sobbed as his old mate berated him.

His willpower was shattered.

Kyra's head swam in darkness, her head throbbed she heard a pounding in her ears. Images of memories flashed before her. She saw Hiroto run into the forest and she chased after him. Then she remembered the way she woke up next to him, his warmth a blessing in the cool morning air. The wonderful time they had after brought her joy but then she remembered what happened.

The worn wolfess sat bolt upright and took in her surroundings. She lay tucked in a warm bed in the corner of a darkened room. A drawer sat across from her and a window was placed next to it. Looking outside Kyra saw it was night. On the right wall a closed door was the only entrance to the room. Her muscles ached but she still strained to get out of bed. With a hobbling gait she walked to the door and opened it.

"H-Hiroto?" she called hoarsely. The hallway held two closed doors opposite her, and it ended in a set of stairs going down. The wolf captain heard voices downstairs, two maybe three pairs. They conversed in low anxious tones. Slowly Kyra made her way down the winding steps until she emerged in the kitchen, a few lamps were lit in the room. At the table Gurda the bunnywife sat talking to a rugged looking otter and the young raccoon. The boy's eyes were red and looked as if he had been crying.

She couldn't make out what they were saying and when they saw Kyra enter they became silent. "W-where is h-he?" she said on the verge of breaking down.

"Oh, child you shouldn't be up. You need your rest," Gurda said as she stood up and walked to her side to hold her up.

The wolf shook her head worsening her headache and sending a pang of nausea through her. "I must see him," she whispered. "Please."

The otter stood up too, "Now miss don't go getting yourself worked up. Here I'll carry you back upstairs and in the morning you can tell us what happened."

"No," the wolf said her voice stronger this time. "Please tell me, how is he?"

"Oh dear, your in no shape for this. You've had a hard day and your only mortal, you can't push yourself like this." The bunnywife put a comforting paw around the wolf's shoulders and hugged her close.

"Is... is he..." Kyra began to think the worst had happened that her love had actually... no she couldn't think that. It just wasn't possible.

"No, lass he lives for now, but barely," the large otter reassured her as best he could.

The raccoon rubbed a paw over his damp eyes, "He'll get better won't he?"

Both the elders wanted to say that everything was going to be alright, that the ninja would come out stronger than ever. They really wanted than to tell this boy that his friend would live another day and that they would be able to continue their strange companionship, most of all they wanted to be able to see the ninja, their friend for a long time now, pull through the sickness. Neither could bring themselves to say such things because they would most likely prove false. So instead they hung their heads in sorrow.

"Take me to him," Kyra requested. Gurda still doubted that the girl had any strength left but Skein nodded and led her slowly the downstairs bedroom. He opened the door and let her enter but stayed in the doorway. Inside the room was a bed and a padded chair beside it. The still form of the ninja could be seen under the covers.

"We've done all we can fer him. I sent word to one that may have the skill to cure him but he will not arrive until tomorrow. You may sit in the chair tonight, I left a pillow and a blanket there fer you, we will not bother you unless called fer."

With that the compassionate otter left and closed the door. He retreated to the table and sat down again.

"The poor child," Gurda sympathized, "to lose love after having found it so soon."

Skein nodded wearily. The wolf's situation roused old memories in him. "Aye, 'tis a real pity. Me and me darling had many long years before she entered the everlasting sleep. They had but a blink o' an eye." He blinked his eyes to rid himself of a tear that was forming.

Gurda sat down next to him a rubbed his back, "I'm sorry to hear of your loss."

"It's alright. We had such great times together and she went peaceful like. The only regret I have is that she didn't live to help our daughter mature into a woman." The otter hung his head and a single tear rolled down his face. "I know what she is feeling and right now she needs to be there with him. In time the pain will wash away."

The boy's sniffed and let his tears fall down his masked face. "He can't die. He just can't. He's the greatest ninja ever and he's my friend."

Skein patted the boy's shoulder lightly, "I know lad, he's my friend too."

"Come on Lassun, it's time to put your worries away and get some sleep," Gurda announced taking his paw. "You can share my bed tonight."

The raccoon wiped a paw across his eyes. "But I don't wanna sleep. I wanna see Hiroto."

The bunnywife ushered him to the steps. "You can see him in the morning dear, come on you've already been up long past your bedtime."

Skein still sat at the table. He hung his head with worry. In the morning things would only get worse. He had much news from the underground, some directly involved the wolf captain, while more indirectly affected them all for the worse. How to break the news would be the least of his problems, after that came the hard part of dealing with the consequences.

In a darkened stone cell far underground a beaten and bloody form lay close to unconsciousness. Blood stained its fur and the floor all around it. The wounds seemed to cover most of its body and many still seeped a little. Every other moment a very slight movement told that it was still alive and breathing.

The creature could barely be recognized as a squirrel femme, her tail, once long and fluffy was reduced to hairless in some places a bent at a few odd angles. She was sore and bruised in the parts of her skin that were not matted with blood and savage cuts. One eye was swollen shut and blood from her forehead had dripped down and almost completely covered the other one and she had a tangy metallic taste in her mouth. Whip slashes covered all of her back, one arm hung limp and useless at her side, and her left foot was twisted awkwardly.

Sounds echoed down the corridor to the cell door and a very tiny light shone from around the corner. The insubstantial voices slightly roused the poor creature and at first she thought she was hallucinating again. That is until she recognized the voice of her captor and torturer, Rostern.

Her resistance burned brighter and she barely gathered the strength to lift her neck to look up at the tiny barred window in the door to her cell. After all the horrors she had endured the squirrel had never broken. She still imagined ripping out her tormentor's heart with her own claws every time she closed her eyes. The cruel lion had taken and abused her countless times since her capture, and she could no longer tell how long she had been imprisoned. There were no days, no timed schedule, the lion showed up when he pleased or more likely when he had the time, and would devise a new way to torment the squirrel barbarian.

As far as the squirrel could figure there were cells next to hers that would contain other slaves for brief periods until their will broke. Then they were taken away to some unknown fate and more unfortunate creatures replaced them. However the cells had been empty of any occupants of late save her.

The young woman refused to break though and so stayed in her cell. At first she tried taking her life but such attempts always failed, either a guard would be posted to watch for this behavior or her body was too broken to try. When she refused food and water they force fed her and had cruelly shoved it all down her throat.

Now her captors were returning for another effort to break her under their heels. Rostern was talking to another guard the squirrel could not identify about something. Straining her sliced ears the squirrel tried to listen as they approached.

"...not the problem. We have plenty of slaves right now. Even if we get no more from them rotten pirates we can still take the Guard," Rostern said.

"Our numbers may exceed theirs but what of their training? Surely the Guard will not roll over to such an unorganized mass?" came the reply from the unknown guard.

She heard the lion snort as he grew closer. "I know the trainers, I even added a few tactics myself, and we will be ready when the time comes."

"That would seem to be sooner rather than later."

"If only you knew how soon," the lion said quizzically.

The light in the corridor stopped just outside of the squirrel's cell and she heard someone fumbling with a ring of keys. The door opened and Rostern entered sneering at his captive. The other guard, a ferret, covered his nose when the foul stench reached his nostrils. "Ugh, how can you stand this filthy beast?"

The huge lion squat down in front of his prey and lifted her chin in his enormous paw. Not having the physical strength to pull away the squirrel fumed silently.

"This... beast... is a treasure to behold. I have held her here for a long time now and still she does not break. Even now I see rebellion in her eyes. Yes, you wish to kill me don't you?" the lion taunted. "You see my friend, others buckle quickly when they learn of their fates, some even a matter of hours but not this one. She has a warrior's spirit in her. I can sense it, she will make an excellent killer once I have done with her. In time she will break, like just all the others I have found in my time."

The sight of his commander crouched over the unsightly lump of raw flesh that was the center on his attention nearly made the ferret gag.

"And now if you will excuse us I have work to do." Without further encouragement the ferret hurried out of the cell hastily closed the door and then rushed down the corridor trying to escape the bloodcurdling screams of agony erupting from the cell he had just vacated.

The wolf captain slowly became aware of movement outside of sick room's door. She had sat in the padded chair all night long and watched over the feverish ninja. Small naps kept her strength from failing outright and her eyes had long since run dry. In the bed the black fox sometimes shuddered and moaned slightly during the night. His chest rose and fell sporadically attesting that he still lived when all other movement had stilled. Kyra felt helpless and lost watching her love's life wane.

She had held his hand and spoke softly in his ear when he tossed and turned, during one violent fit she cuddled with him until it abated. Hiroto's skin was burning up and his soft heartbeat was slowing with each passing hour. The knife wound on his stomach was blackened and sometimes leaked puss. His condition worsened before Kyra's eyes, he shivered weakly and breathed shallowly.

Kyra clung to hope with the knowledge that a healer was coming today to bring the fox's health back. If he came too late or could not save her mate she did not know how she would react. Her life would lose all meaning and happiness.

A soft rap on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in."

The door cracked and Skein poked his large head through, "Beg pardon lass but help has arrived. Uh, with yer permission..."

"Yes of course, send him in, please." Kyra forced a smile as the door swung open to reveal Skein and a cloaked figure behind him. The otter stepped aside and the dark figure walked into the room. His face was shrouded in shadow from the low hanging cowl and the rest of his body was likewise covered underneath the long cloak. It seemed he had long sturdy ears on the sides of his head but she couldn't tell their exact shape under the hood. The wolf saw brawny and well worn boots on his feet and long ears protruding form the sides of his head. From his short maw she guessed he might be some type of feline. There was no trace or sight of his tail under the cloak which got Kyra really wondering about his species.

"This is an old friend of mine, a traveler from afar, his name is Valewalker."

For all her scrutiny she couldn't discern his species. Slowly the figure knelt beside the bed and checked his patient. Even his paws had leather elbow length gloves covering his long fingers. At last he spoke in a low tone and almost whispering voice.

"I need privacy."

The stubborn wolf shook her head resolutely, "I will not leave him." It wasn't just that she didn't trust the stranger, she also wanted to be by her mate's side through it all.

"It's okay, he is a friend. He won't harm the ninja," Skein told her.

"I will not leave him," she repeated.

Valewalker looked at her and she saw only his eyes, they measured her and pierced her own. There was no malice behind them, no hatred, not even annoyance, simply calculating intelligence. Finally he nodded and let out a small chuckle.

"You will help me save him." It wasn't an order or a request, it was a statement of the facts. He was right, she would do anything to help her lover. He waved Skein away and when the door was shut he turned back to the bed. "The otter tells me that he was poisoned by a blade," Kyra nodded, "and that the owner is dead. What can you tell me of this?"

The wolf explained that the fox seemed fine at first and didn't show any signs of poison until yesterday. She told him that he had intense pain not just at the wound but in his chest. Up until he blacked out he seemed to talk strangely as if he was seeing something she didn't, he even seemed to talk to other people.

When Kyra asked if he knew the poison or a cure to it Valewalker paused from inspecting the open wound. Slowly he nodded.

"I know this ailment, it is a very cruel punishment. It lays waiting in the body for a time, gathering up to full strength and attacks suddenly and violently. It causes fever and hallucinations in the victim to erode the soul while eating away at the body. It is a sickening concoction of some of the deadliest herbs, to mix it you have to know exactly what you are doing. Put too much of one ingredient or too few of another can lead to dire consequences. The maker of this poison must have a steady hand and resolute will."

Kyra sat in silence taking in this information. How could such a poison exist, she wondered. Then she started thinking about the cause of all this trouble, Brunin. That wretched bastard, he sits in his throne as a false leader, far from true justice. Kyra resolved that she would be the one to bring him down from his position above the law. She would make him pay for bringing harm to hers.

The wolf turned her attention back to the strange healer, "Is there a cure?"

Valewalker had kneeled and was examining his patient once more. Without turning he asked, "How long exactly since his poisoning?"

When she Kyra answered her voice wavered with sorrow. "He became like this," she indicated Hiroto on the bed, "yesterday morning, but he became poisoned the evening before."

Taking a few pouches out from under his cloak the healer grunted, "A little early for it to take affect. Was he involved in any strenuous activities in that time?"

Kyra explained with a nod. "Yes he fought off the assassins that did this to him. Then he ran out of the city and deep into the forest where we..." she stopped herself partly out of embarrassment and partly because she couldn't hold back the flood of tears and sobs.

"I see," said the healer, "I must work quickly if I am to save his life. I need to know if you can do this."

The wolf sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I would do anything to save him."

With a quick glance at her Valewalker nodded, "Good," he handed her a mortar and pestle along with a bag of leaves that he produced from somewhere in his cloak. "Grind up these until it is a paste then feed it to him. It will help counteract the hallucinations and open the way for his recovery."

Quickly she did as the stranger asked crushing several leaves in the small stone bowl. Valewalker took another bag out and spread a fine powder onto the black wound. Then he stood and walked to the lamp, its wick and oil running low from burning all night, and he light some sticks that smoked and created an alluring scent. He placed them onto small pieces of wood around the bed so they stood upright and spread their smoke close to the bed.

At last the paste was ready and Kyra sat on the bed at the ninja's side. She placed it in his mouth and encouraged him to swallow. Very weakly his reflex kicked in and he swallowed the mix so Kyra placed more on his tongue until he had eaten all of the paste.

"Now what?" she asked the healer.

"Now I will begin making a cure. You must coax him back to the world of the living."

The wolfess didn't understand, "How?"

"Talk to him, tell him he is needed here, tell him how you feel," the healer clarified. Without wasting any more time he placed a cloth on the ground and began measuring out ingredients in piles.

Kyra turned back to her mate and stroked his head. Softly she muttered in his ear. She reminded him of the wonderful times they had shared and told him there were many more moments to be had. She cooed and whispered sweetly that she needed him, that he couldn't leave her, he just had to live. There were so many reasons that the ninja had to live, she told him of all the excitement he was missing, of injustice in Karyd that still thrived and spread. The most important reason to live, she told him, was that she loved him. Finally she had found someone she could fall for, someone who could make her life complete. Now with so little time together he was trying to leave her all alone again.

The wolfess told him all this her tears running down her face and onto his still body. Time had passed but she was unaware of it. Her world consisted of herself, Hiroto and the bed they were on. Everything else was gone, replaced by darkness. Nothing mattered except helping the ninja to wake from his unnatural sleep. Something brushed her away, off of the bed so she knelt beside it and watched over her love. Still she talked to him, she never stopped talking, even when her eyelids grew heavy. Slowly even the bed turned to darkness, yet she still encouraged the ninja to come back to her. Eventually her weariness took over her body so she called out to her mate with her mind, she hoped that when she opened her eyes he would be leaning over her, holding her to him. That they would then be together for the rest of their lives and all would be well.

At the City Guard's barracks soldiers milled about. Tension could be felt in the air. Few said anything as if a single word would ignite a firestorm. A badger paced in his office worried for those in his command and for his missing Captain. She had been gone too long without word. He shouldn't have left her after that investigation.

He knew she would never give up the search until she found something or she was dead. His honor screamed at him, berated him for such a simple mistake. It shouldn't have led to this. He was just doing his duty. The pirates had to be taken in and questioned. None of them could have known that they would be released that morning. They were all supposed to stand trial and be sentenced to, most likely, a few years in prison.

Sergeant Goze reflected back to yesterday. The council had convened after many of the citizens called out about the injustice of the Guard at arresting innocent people looking for a drink at the bar. The badger snorted. Not a single furson in the jail had been innocent, each had confessed to several crimes the most important of which was a slave smuggling operation. However when many of the citizens took to the streets outside the barracks and Council Hall it seemed that they had no choice but to decide that everyone rounded up the previous night was to be set free.

The badger had followed order but the Council wanted more they took all the written statements from the pirates and destroyed them. When the Sergeant brought up the smuggling operation they dismissed it saying it was best to leave things under the table as not to rouse the citizens in revolt. Each guard member was questioned about what they knew of the slave trade and then they were made to swear on their lives that they would never mention it again.

How could the Council enforce such a thing? There was crime running rampant in the city and they turned their heads away and ignored it. Citizens cried out for justice and the release of criminals that would go on to commit even more deplorable crimes. At the same time they despised the very people that worked everyday to protect them. The ordinary citizen didn't understand that in order to enforce order measures had to be taken to ferret out lawbreakers and bring them to justice. They were out for blood, the Guards' blood.

Goze shook his head wearily. Morale in the Guard dropped daily. Many Guard stations lay abandoned because the neighborhood they were in assaulted them in force. Not being able to harm the people the Guards were forced to leave. Several more stations were found empty when the relief showed up. The Guards were never seen or heard from again. It was assumed that they had simply turned tail and fled their position, escaping the ranks of the Guard to live among normal citizens. More than one station was found ransacked as well. Patrols used to run constantly, now however, with the people turning violent, fewer patrols were sent out. Those that did were heavily armed and had great numbers to help deter violence.

The Council had restrained the Guard from arresting people acting out against the Guard in riots. They could protect themselves at best and flee from the worst of it. Not one furson arrested for taking part of a riot, throwing stones at the Guard, or many other offenses was kept longer than a night.

Outside his office shouting was heard. Another argument in the barracks. Marching out and hollering orders and threats Goze idly wondered if this was the end of his fair city.

His grim prediction was not far off.

In a dark meeting room under the Council Hall several figures stood nervously. Most wore hooded cloaks and stood as part of small groups and they huddled together whispering. Fear was thick in the air. They all feared that at any moment they would be found out and sentenced to death.

A large figure entered the room followed by a slender cat, is orange fur showing on his uncovered head as he closed the door and locked it. All whispers stopped when Brunin had entered. When he folded back his hood a smirk could be seen on his face in the torchlight. He addressed the surrounding figures in a low commanding voice that would not carry to unwanted ears but still having an affect on those around him.

"Brothers, it is good of you to come. Today is our first step towards our goal. Too long have the scum ran around our city bringing us down with them. They think they are as good as us and deserve all that we do. I do not believe this is so and neither do you. Today is one day closer to the final solution, we will bring this city to a golden age of riches and prosperity. Under my leadership we can pull through the darkness and win the day. As we speak the people cry for a new world, one filled with justice. We shall give it to them. Together we can make Karyd into something great."

The crowd around the obese weasel was caught up in his heated speech. They hung on his words wholeheartedly. His tone convinced them that all the risk and danger was worth bringing in a new order, an order they could control and live for, even die for if necessary. They were working towards a grand future that each will be proud to have been a part of.

High Elder Brunin continued his speech forming a world in it. He told a tale that brought that world into the visions of the listeners. They believed that he could indeed change the city, not only the city but the world!

The High Elder finished his dramatic speech with a wave of his giant arms. "All this will come to pass through your cooperation."

The first to step forward and voice his support was a middle-aged rat with graying fur. He was none other than High Elder Binte. "We stand united and in agreement. Karyd will be great once again."

Other councilors added their own voices and words but Brunin and Binte grinned at each other. The same thought ran through their minds: with two of the three High Elders working to change to city none could hope to stand against them.

Victory would be swift and sweet.