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SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/grungefox/Documents/Chapter%203.doc

With Isaiah leading the way, the group made their way towards Kaiden, the small town in Lioden in which Father Briar's church is located. It was an overcast day, yet pleasantly warm, perfect weather for travel. Rose put as much distance as she could from Isaiah, making sure Malcalm was in between them. Every few steps, the wolf would stop to orient himself before leading them to Lioden.

After a while, Rose stops with an ear flicker, causing the rat and wolf to stop.

"What is it Rose?" asked Malcalm.

"It sounds like people... you two hide, I'll scout ahead." She said calmly.

With Malcalm and Isaiah hidden away, Rose ducked down into the tall grass and continued on. Further up the road, she spied a jailed carriage that had been stopped by a rather tall pale white lion equipped with very shiny silver armor, a long sword at his left hip, and a triangular shield with bright blue sword with an aura around it, the symbol of Lucien, the God of Justice and Light. The Driver was a angry looking gnarled wolf, garbed in leather armor, obviously a slaver. She could also see two other guards with pole arms and leather armor behind the carriage. Inside, there were weeping men and women that were without a doubt recently captured by the slavers. If there was anything Rose hated more then anything, it was slavers.

"I don't care if you're a Paladin of Lucien OR a BEGGAR Lion, outta the way!" screamed the wolf loudly as he reached for his whip.

The lion was stern and unnerved by the wolf's anger. "Release your prisoners! You have illegally obtained these men and women from my homeland of Lioden, and I will not stand for it!" he replied.

"Ain't that sweet! Only one thing bub! There's three of us, and one of you! You're out number kitty!"

Rose moved just enough so she would catch the lion's attention for the moment. He looked to her direction to notice her putting her finger over her muzzle, as a request to keep quiet.

"OYE!!!! KID!" screamed the wolf again. "Ya deaf or somethin'? MOVE IT!"

The lion looked back to his tormenter and narrowed his eyes, determined to keep his attention. "Strike me and you shall pay with your lives!" he replied

Rose took his continued ruse to slowly sneak up towards the rear of the carriage slowly, to sneak behind the two guards at the back. She slowly unsheathed the blade on her right him with her right hand, holding it blade to the ground. She used a double bladed straight edged dagger for ease of use. She clenched the blade with anticipation. It had been a very long time since she took a life, but she kept sharp while she was in the Red Court.

She clenched her teeth as she slowly made her move, creeping up behind the unsuspecting bobcat right in front of her. She'd have to do this right, there wasn't going to be a second chance. Then with calculated precision, she slipped her free paw over the bobcat's mouth just before she glides that blade from one side of his throat to the other, cutting the jugular vein, bronchus, and finally the carotid artery. The Bobcat quickly bled out without any chance to scream. Unfortunately, the Raccoon just out of reach of Rose caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Without hesitation, she turned, with the bobcat in front of her; she released his maw and flexed her wrist downward. The guard heard a subtle click and suddenly, a huge needle shot out from under her left bracer and strikes him suddenly in his neck, directly in his Adam's apple. The Guard clutched his neck as he slowly and painfully dies.

With both guards dispatched, She then took out her lock picking tools and quickly unlocked to door to the carriage. She silently motioned for the prisoners to hide in the high grass as she led them all out of the carriage. They were obviously shaken by her sudden appearance, but quickly complied. As they quietly hid, she decided to give the wolf a piece of her mind. She slowly walked around the carriage with a smirk on her muzzle as she notices the heated battle between him and the lion.

"Hey, Dimwit!" she called as she came into view. With the wolf suddenly turning around to notice her picking her claws gently with her bloodied dagger, with a swagger in her step. "While you were distracted, I just killed your comrades and your money just ran away."

The wolf's eyes widened as he turned to notice his prisoners had disappeared. He stood up and clutched his hip that was wrapped at his left hand side. "YOU FUCKIN' BITCH!!!!" he screamed as he wound up for an attack.

Before he could bring the whip down, an Arrow suddenly whizzed between both the Lion and the Fox, finding refuge into the wolf's throat. As the wolf falls over to the ground from his driver's seat with Rose watching. "Oh..." she said suddenly, "Did I forget to mention I have a ranger friend?"

With the slavers dispatched, the men and women who were until recently hiding popped out from the grass and cheered with their deaths. Rose took did not share their joy but instead returned to where she the slaver with her hidden spring loaded needle was and pulled it out to clean it of blood. She felt the tall stature of the Lion Paladin soon standing over her as she replaced her needle underneath her bracer.

"I may not approve of your ways Assassin, but I am glad your heart is at least in the right place." He said softly.

"Former Assassin..." Rose corrected, "I'm on the run from them."

As the Lion tried desperately to see around the young fox's hood, she turned to keep that ability from him. The lion looked concerned to the fox as he slowly approached.

"May I not see the face of the woman who aided me to thank you?" he asked.

Rose sighed. She really hated people to see what she looked like. That personal quirk was what kept her alive all this time.

"Worry not, I will not turn you in," he said.

She finally nodded and slowly turned to meet his face. She got a better look at his face. His white hair was pulled back and braided, and had the most beautiful ice blue eyes. She stared at his face, as though a memory was coming back. While she was distracted, the Lion slowly took the young fox's hood down. As she stared at him as her ears lowered against her head, she noticed that his eyes widened with surprise, as through he had seen a long lost friend whom he hadn't seen in forever.

"Cecilia?" he asked as he slowly stepped back, "Cecilia? You're alive?"

Rose narrowed her eyes in confusion, "Cecilia? My name is Rose."

She noticed that a single tear gently ran down his cheek when he heard her, "Cecilia! It's me! Prince Jordan!"

"Jordan?!"

"Don't you remember? Five years ago, you and I made love that one night, you were a maid then!" he said as he held her paws.

"N... I... I don't remember," she said.

"So the mysterious Assassin has found her identity," Malcalm suddenly said as he and Isaia finally caught up with them.

"I... But Malcalm, I don't remember, I mean I know he's the prince, but..." she said.

Jordan gave her a painful look to her and grasped her paw gently, "Then I shall never leave your side, until you remember."

"Wh... what?!" she exclaimed as she took her hand back.

"Cecilia, I know you probably obtained a new personality and identity, but I still love you Cecilia! I lost you one, I will never loose you again!" he said as he looked to her sternly.

Rose couldn't help but blush. She never had a man act like this around him. Could it have been true, was she this Cecilia that the prince himself was calling him. She sighed a bit as she looked back to the lion and refits her hood to her head. "Alright, you can come, I was on my way to Father Briar's church. If I am this Cecilia you speak of, He should be able to clear the air."

Suddenly, Isaiah put his fist to his forehead in a fake swoon, "Alas! Could it be?! The woman of my dreams hath been taken by another man?! Whatever shall I do?!"

Rose suddenly growled and grew extremely weary of Isaiah's melodrama. "How about you stop bugging me and act like a normal ranger?" she said angrily.

"Oh No!" he said suddenly, "I'll just have to have my way with you before the truth comes out! TALLY HO!!!!"

With that, the young wolf once again trudged on towards Lioden. Jordan gave a strange look to the wolf and sighed. "Is he always like this?" he asked.

"Unfortunately..." Rose began, "As long as I've known him..."