FSE

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Prologue:

The light click of his talons grazing the stone floor echoed down the corridor as Shadow walked alone in the depths of the labyrinth. The Gryphon's head drooped and his wings were folded lazily against his sides as he walked, not really caring where he went. It had only been a few hours since Allison had left, and he already felt dreadfully lonely. He'd tried to curl up in his nest, but that only made it worse, and now he skulked the interior of the structure, lost in his own thoughts.

Why hadn't I gone with her? He thought, shaking his head in frustration. She liked you! She must've! Was it because you're a Gryphon? Were you afraid to hurt her? Or just afraid?

"You're just a beast, she could never like you," a little voice in his mind said.

Stopping for a moment, Shadow sighed. Allison hadn't thought that. She'd told him that he was kind, and even more gentle then any of the men she had ever known. Maybe he'd been here for so long he didn't think it was possible to have friendship. The only creatures he knew would rather eat a human then try to talk, and he never truly considered any of them his friends. Well...maybe the dragon. He's nice enough.

Shadow started to walk again, making a left turn towards the dragon's lair. Maybe that's why...the Gryphon thought, too many dangers around here. I would be safe, but would I be able to keep her safe? Would the demon even allow it? Probably not.

Sniffing a little, Shadow continued to walk to Mhyrdal's chambers. The dragon was his friend: perhaps he could offer some comfort.

________________________________________________________________________

Mhyrdal rolled his eyes in annoyance as Shadow slumped in the corner of the room, whining to him about some human he never had the chance to eat. He liked the little Gryphon, and usually welcomed the innocent and happy attitude that accompanied him; however, sometimes the little runt could test his patience. Dragons were never that good at being therapists.

Humans were food. Tasty food at that, Mhyrdal mused, closing his eyes and remembering the man he'd swallowed only an hour ago. Though the succulent tang of the human had left his mouth, Mhyrdal still felt full and content. After a meal as rewarding as that, his favourite thing to do was lie down and rest, letting his body settle and relax.

Which is exactly what he had been doing before Shadow came barging in unannounced.

"So what do you think I should do?" Shadow asked.

"Hm?" Mhyrdal said, snapping out of his daydream.

"What should I do?" Shadow repeated in a hoarse tone. "Should I try and find her? Its only been a few hours, maybe I could find her and bring her back."

Mhyrdal sighed, lying his head down on the ground. The sad eyes of the Gryphon studied him, expecting an answer. How could Shadow be so obsessed with this human? The odds of the woman actually liking him seemed astronomical, and the whole concept seemed ridiculous to the dragon. Shadow certainly was desperate, asking him for advice. An annoyed dragon was usually in no mood to offer council of any kind, especially about a human when all he wanted to do was sleep. It used to be quiet in here. "Ya sure, go get her. Bring her back here so I can eat her."

"I'm serious Mhyrdal! Should I?"

"I'm serious too."

"No, you're not eating her," Shadow said, an edge of authority creeping into his voice.

Mhyrdal smiled. He always liked it when Shadow told him what to do. He found it...cute. "Well, if you want to eat her instead go ahead, I won't stop you," he said, tilting his head and closing his eyes as if the conversation had ended.

"What!? No! Have you even been listening?"

"Hm?" The dragon said, lifting his head up once again.

"You...why you..." Shadow said before trailing off and sitting back down. Though Mhyrdal didn't think it was possible, the little Gryphon actually looked sadder now that he hadn't been paying attention. "I could really use some advice right now. Please, help me..."

Seeing the Gryphon start to sniffle again, Mhyrdal rolled his eyes and focused his attention on the feathered form in front of him. Maybe if he paid attention for a little bit, Shadow would leave him in peace. "I'm sorry, go on."

Looking up, Shadow said, "I miss her Mhyrdal. Not as food, not as something to toy with, but as a friend."

The dragon was confused. Humans were prey, not their friends. He didn't understand what Shadow was trying to say, but he didn't what to make this conversation more complicated then it needed to be. "I understand," he said, "go on."

"I...I didn't ask her to stay because, well, this is a horrible place, full of things like...well, you," Shadow said, giving a weak smile in Mhyrdal's direction. "If she stayed here, or if she came back, I don't know if I'd be able to protect her. Half the things in here are more vicious then I am."

Well, ALL the things in here are more vicious then you, Mhyrdal thought. The fact that Shadow was under the demon's protection was perhaps the only reason some of the labyrinth's more vicious inhabitants hadn't tried to kill him already. The Gryphon could be ferocious if he needed to be though. Maybe he was hiding some spark under all that...fluff.

"But...I don't think I'll ever meet someone like her again. Should I try to find her? Or, do you think maybe she'll come back?"

Mhrydal snorted. "Come back? Why would a human come back here unless they WANTED to be eaten by something? Hopefully me..."

Shadow lowered his head. "Well, I really do like her and...well, I think she likes me too."

"How could she have liked you?" Mhyrdal asked, raising the ridges above his eyes. "I know you usually try to be friendly to half the humans who walk through here, but it never works: you are a Gryphon after all. The only humans you meet will always view you as a threat, regardless of how pleasant you are, so why waste your time? Just eat them like I do."

"Well..." Shadow said, smiling a little, "I did mate with her."

Mhyrdal smiled. He didn't think the little guy had it in him. Maybe the sex itself was the reason Shadow was acting so love struck. "Well good for you, but I hardly think taking her against her will would make her like you back. Most humans don't like it when a Gryphon mounts them."

Shadow stood up in slight alarm. "No! No it wasn't like that, she wanted me!"

Mhyrdal chuckled. "Good one little Gryphon. Usually I can tell when your lying but that was very convincing."

"I'm telling the truth," Shadow replied, that same authority creeping into his tone once again, "She bent over and let me mount her, it was consensual."

Mhyrdal continued to smile for a little while until he looked closely at Shadow's face. There wasn't an ounce of sarcasm in his voice, and his countenance showed no signs of lying: he was telling the truth.

Mhyrdal let his lower jaw fall briefly in surprise before catching himself. "Um...what?" Smooth Mhyrdal. Try not let the notion baffle your brain too much.

Shadow's tear-glistened eyes contained a hint of happiness as he looked at the dragon. It wasn't everyday you made a dragon speechless. "I guess my, ahem, kindness finally paid off, wouldn't you say?"

Mhyrdal remained stunned for a few more moments. He didn't think it was possible, a human being willing like that. Sure, all the others creatures took what they wanted, but this was the first time he heard of a human actually enjoying it. He couldn't help but be a little curious. "Well, did she like it?" Mhyrdal asked.

Shadow nodded. "I think so. I was worried that I might hurt her but she was constantly moaning with pleasure after I mounted her, moving against me as I mated and spreading her legs and..." The Gryphon shivered. "It was wonderful."

"Mhmmm..." the Dragon responded, finding himself lost in another daydream. That would've been quite the sight.

"Um...Mhyrdal?"

"Hm?" The Dragon said, looking down at the Gryphon. When Shadow gestured to his middle, he looked down and saw that his member was beginning to poke out of his sheath.

Rather then covering up, Mhyrdal spread his legs a little wider, grinning as the Gryphon continued to stare. "O sorry what was that," the dragon said, "I'm not sure what you're saying exactly, is something wrong?"

Blushing again, Shadow said, "Um, no not really... I guess. Didn't know a dragon could be...into that sort of thing."

"Well, all dragons have their preferences, but I can be 'into,' whatever I want." Mhyrdal said, folding his hind legs and hiding his member from sight. "Maybe your human will get some action from me when she gets back, seeing as how she's into friendly monsters and all..."

Shadow's face became flustered, the feathers on the border of his face standing out as he replied, "No Mhyrdal, you can't. You might hurt her, and she's mine."

Mhyrdal wasn't really being serious with the Gryphon, he just wanted to toy with him for a moment. "Well, fine I guess. But if another human comes along begging for a sexual encounter you better point them in this direction." So I can eat them anyway... Mhyrdal thought, licking his lips.

"Yes of course, now can you answer my question."

"Which one?"

"Will she come back? You know...to visit maybe."

Mhyrdal considered the possibility with what he knew. This human, whoever she was, must've really taken a liking to Shadow to let him take her. He only ever thought of eating the little creatures, whole if possible, but maybe the Gryphon was right: perhaps this woman had truly enjoyed his company in this horrible place.

The Dragon gave Shadow and amused smirk, saying "If she let you mount her, as you say, I think she would."

Shadow's face lit up. "Do you really think so?"

"Maybe," Mhyrdal responded. "I can't repeat this enough little Gryphon, but she let you MOUNT her...she likes you, there's no doubt about it."

Beaming, Shadow trounced around Mhyrdal's chamber, flapping his wings in delight. The dragon had never seen the little runt so happy. Good, Mhyrdal thought: maybe now he'll leave me in peace.

Stopping his dance and facing the dragon again, Shadow said "I'm going to go see if I can find her!"

Putting his head back down, Mhyrdal sighed: at last the Gryphon was leaving. "Yes, you go do that."

Shadow was about to start making his way to the exit when the doorway was suddenly blocked by a large slab of stone, which slammed into the ground as the Gryphon turned. The noise startled the Gryphon, who tripped and fell onto his rump. The noise also surprised Mhyrdal, who lifted his head up to see what had happened.

"Wha..." Shadow started before he was interrupted.

"And where do you think you're going," said a low hiss from the dark corner of the room. Mhyrdal turned and was surprised to see the demon, Mordinith, step out of the shadows. The low light of room cast a sickly light on his pale red features, and the hooves of his feet made low clopping noises as he approached, running his clawed hands along the stone wall.

"Mordinith," Shadow gasped, shrinking away, "I..."

"Stow the explanation you little whelp, I was listening the whole time. This is, my domain after all," the demon said, narrowing his eyes and letting his claws slide off the wall.

"Made a friend have we? A human...friend," Mordinith hissed, twisting his face into a look of disgust. "You do know how I feel about human's getting away Shadow, how I feel about being robbed of watching them die."

Mhyrdal watched as the Gryphon backed up into the corner, eyes wide with fright. "But...but you said we have to obey the rules...that if they pass a test that we need to help them..."

"Yes sure, help them..." Mordinith whispered, eyes glowing with rage, "but you...you gave her a tour. You showed her the almost the entire fucking labyrinth, and then you showed her the way out! You NEVER show them the way out. It doesn't matter how they perform, I ALWAYS want them to die, do you hear me? ALWAYS. And on top of all that, you mounted her! Naughty naughty."

The dragon felt sorry for his little friend. He wasn't scared of the demon himself, but he WAS a dragon. For Shadow, he could only imagine what was going through his head as the demon approached. Mordinith was the one who made the rules, it was the agreement they all made to be creatures within his labyrinth. Obey the rules, and you get to do whatever you want to the humans that fail.

Shadow looked at Mhyrdal for some sort of support and the dragon gave him a weak smile. Mhyrdal decided to do nothing for now. He didn't think the demon would hurt the Gryphon and he would stop this if it went to far but for now, he had to respect the demon's wishes.

Looking back over to the demon, Shadow gulped, saying, "But the werewolf got to, you know..."

Smiling, the demon replied, "O believe me, I know what the werewolf does, and I quite rather enjoy it, but you..." Mordinith curled his fingers into a fist. "You play nice, you make friends, you tell people to sing for you as their test, its all fucking disgraceful. This is a labyrinth you simpering little pansy, how did I ever let you in here in the first place?"

The Gryphon huddled in the corner, clearly frightened of the demon. Don't worry Shadow, Mhyrdal thought, the demon wouldn't hurt you, you're a creature of this labyrinth.

"Please Mordinith, I'm sorry," Shadow pleaded, "I'll be more vicious next time, honest, but can I go get Allison? Please, I want her to stay here as well. I can protect her and keep her in my quarters, you'll never even know she was there."

For a moment, the demon said nothing and just stared, his face disturbingly absent of any emotion. Then, very quietly, Mordinith whispered, "No."

Suddenly, Shadow became very angry. Stamping his clawed feet against the ground, the Gryphon spoke authoritatively, saying "I want her back dammit! I'm going to go get her now! Let me out!"

There's the spark I knew he had in him, Mhyrdal thought, allowing his lips to twist into a small smile.

The demon also regarded Shadow with an amused grin. "I think its time to teach you a little lesson," he said.

Before Mhyrdal could react, Mordinith threw out his hand, sending an invisible force towards the Gryphon in the corner that impacted his friend in the chest, sending him crashing to floor with a pained screech.

Pushing himself up onto his feet, Mhyrdal growled at the demon. "Leave him alone Mordinith...if you touch him I'll..."

"O what's this now," the demon sneered, whipping his other hand around to slash Shadow across his leg, who let out a small yelp and collapsed to the floor as he tried to stand. "Is the dragon going soft on me as well? Do you care for him, hm? How adorable!"

Mordinith held up his arm, holding his hand in a chocking position. From his spot on the floor, Shadow began to gag and slide across the floor towards the demon. "It seems that after all these years, some of you many have forgotten who's in charge around here," the demon hissed, reaching for Shadow's leg and grabbing it with his clawed fingers. "I permitted you to join my little club in the hopes that you would obey not only my wishes but your own fucking instincts. How long have you been here exactly? And how many times have you killed, raped, or eaten a human!?"

Mordinith curled his hand into a fist and struck Shadow across his beak. "ZERO!"

Mhyrdal felt a wave of rage erupt from inside him. He'd been a resident of the Labyrinth for almost ten years now, a short span of time for a dragon, but in all that time, he never considered the demon a friend. He tolerated the demon because he brought him humans to eat, which made the arrangement of him being there mutually beneficial for both of them. Because of this fact, the dragon had kept his distance; however, in seeing the Gryphon get hurt once again, his vision clouded with a red haze and he let out a roar.

His arrangement with the demon was over.

Mhyrdal lunged for Mordinith, jaws agape in an attempt to grab him. He aimed his mouth high, aiming for the demon's head and shoulders so that he wouldn't accidentally bite Shadow as well.

In aiming high however, Mordinith was able to duck under the dragon's jaws, which came to a close right above his head with a loud clack. The demon then let go of the Gryphon and drove his fist upwards, hitting Mhyrdal on the underside of his jaw. The force of the blow snapped the dragon's head upwards, causing him to stumble and take a few steps back.

Mhyrdal closed his eyes and shook his head to reorient himself before slowly lifting his head, staring at the demon with a venomous glare.

Mordinith stood in front of him, panting heavily: the punch had clearly taken a lot out of him, and it looked like his head was broken. That's what you get for punching a dragon. Baring his pointed teeth, Mordinith grabbed his broken hand and twisted it, snapping it back into place with a sickening crunch. He wiggled his clawed finger in experimentation before returning his gaze to the dragon, hate filling his eyes.

"Just for that, I'm going to kill him now," the demon said, "I'm going to make you watch him suffer before I slit his throat and then...then I'm going to kill you."

Mhyrdal took a step forward. He wasn't sure what type of magic the demon could summon, and it was risk to take him head on but he didn't have a choice: the Gryphon was in trouble. If any other creature had been on the ground in front of him, Mhyrdal wouldn't have cared; but Shadow didn't belong here, and the demon had finally figured that out. For some reason, he didn't know why, but it made him care.

Mhyrdal narrowed his eyes, which were now glowing red, and let smoke drift from the corners of his mouth. "You can try," he growled, his deep voice dripping with loathing.

Smirking, Mordinith raised his hand up into the air. When he brought it down, there was a flash, and he vanished, leaving only a cloud of wispy smoke behind. As Mhyrdal approach Shadow, who lay sprawled on the ground, the demon's voice echoed throughout the chamber, saying "O I will try, have no doubt about that. You're never getting out of here, I'll see to that. You and your little pathetic friend can rot in this chamber forever..."

As the voice faded away, Mhyrdal looked around, making sure the demon was gone. As he turned back to Shadow, his eyes returned to their normal, light yellow hue, and he stooped down, sniffing the Gryphon and checking on his wounds.

Shadow weakly opened his eyes, smiling as he saw his friend overtop of him. "Is...is he gone?"

"Yes he's gone."

The Gryphon nodded, closing his eyes again. "That's good. Can I...Can I still go find Allison?"

The dragon sighed, bringing Shadow into his chest with a scaled paw letting his neck droop over him. He wasn't sure if it was comfortable for the Gryphon, but it was the best he could do.

"I wouldn't worry about that Shadow," the dragon said, closing his eyes. "She'll come to us."

As he finished talking, a loud rumble echoed from the back of his chamber. The sounds of falling stone and rubble reverberated into the room, punctuated by an extremely loud slam and small whoosh of air. Mhyrdal didn't need to investigate to know what had happened: the demon had sealed them in. The entrance that the dragon used to get in and out was now blocked with tons upon tons of stone and dirt, trapping him and his friend inside. The demon would rather imprison them and starve them then risk fighting with him once again. Wise, but cowardly, Mhyrdal thought, twisting his face into a snarl.

"Will...will she come?" Shadow asked weakly.

Rather then answer, the dragon pulled the Gryphon in close, and dropped his scaled head to the floor. Hopefully, Mhyrdal thought.

______________________________________________________________________

One Week Later...

"Dammit woman, if you'd have told me the walk would be this far, I wouldn't have brought my damn axe! Thing weighs a ton!"

Allison rolled her eyes as walked along the path, taking a quick glance back at the fox complaining behind her. Phillip was his name, and so far as Allison could tell, and all he did was talk. His body was covered with bright red fur, with white covering his belly and the underside of his bushy tail. The black-tipped fingers of his paws gripped a large, two handed axe that he carried over his shoulder. He wore leather armour and rough, beige clothing. Other then the axe, he also carried a bag with supplies, and long sword at his hip. Allison was told that Phillip was one of the stronger members of the party that accompanied her, but for all his strengths, keeping his mouth shut wasn't one of them. So far, it seemed to be his way of lightening the mood and Allison didn't really mind. She found it amusing, but it was beginning to bother some of the others.

"O shut up Philly," said Rorrick, the man leading their small company. "You know where we're going, you're gonna need it! So just pipe down and quit being a whiny little shit."

"Don't call me Philly! You know I don't like it when you call me that! And besides, the axe won't do me much good if I'm too tired to swing it once we get there..."

"Well, it isn't my fault you don't exercise you lazy oaf."

"I think I might be better off just using my sword..."

"Alright fine then, just drop it you dumb ox, see if I care. Just leave it in the bushes over there, I'll come back and take it for myself after something's torn you to shreds."

"That's not funny!"

'Wasn't a joke, it's a nice axe."

Allison kept her silence as the two men bickered. She could tolerate their company for now, even if it meant putting up with their childish banter. They were probably just nervous, and this was their way of putting their minds at ease. They numbered four in total: one male human, a male fox, and another human woman not including herself.

Rorrick fancied himself the leader of their little posse. Whether it was because he was walking in front, or whether it was because he was the only one with a few pieces of iron armour on his shins and forearms Allison couldn't tell, but it definitely wasn't due to intelligence. Perhaps he was good with a sword.

Unlike the two males in the party, the other woman had barely said a word the entire trip. Allison had discovered that her name was Eve, but only because Rorrick had said it in passing. She carried a great number of knives around a belt on her waist, and a thin, deadly looking rapier holstered against her side. Other then standard leather armour on her chest, arms and legs, she wore a thin black garb that never made a sound as she strode quietly at the back of their party. Her presence was both intimidating and comforting to Allison, who was glad to not be the only woman in the party. At least she looked like she could handle herself in a fight.

Phillip and Rorrick on the other hand, made lots of noise as they walked. Though they featured the same leather protection as Rose, the two them couldn't manage the same feline grace as the woman, and wore rough spun tunics and clothing that seemed to rustle as they trudged along the pathway, and held long, hefty weapons that clanked against their armour as they moved.

Allison had never intended to go back to the labyrinth with such odd companions. She HAD intended to go back at some point, but not so soon. Her time with Shadow had been one of the happiest moments of her life, and parting with him in such haste had been a horrible mistake. Their intimacy within the Gryphon's cave had affected her more then she could've anticipated. She never imagined having feelings for a Gryphon but they were there; she cared for Shadow more then anyone else she knew, and knowing that he was alone in that dreadful place filled her heart with sorrow.

She had to go back.

It was by chance when she was leaving the city that she heard Phillip and Rorrick talking about her very destination. The man and the fox had been arguing quite vulgarly about what to pack and which weapons to bring, the axe being one of the topics of discussion then as well. Loud as they were, Allison couldn't help but overhear mention of the Labyrinth as she passed them: their odd mannerisms and their heavy weapons making them very hard to miss.

After she introduced herself, it was only a short time afterward that they agreed to let her accompany them, but only if it was alright with their employer. Apparently the two men were being paid, which made sense, seeing as how even the stupidest creature wouldn't go anywhere near that place without at least some incentive. The person paying them happened to be Eve, and though she would tell them why, she had an intense interest in slaying the demon. Rorrick and Phillip were apparently hunters who had a small amount of experience in this sort of thing, and Eve wanted to go hunt and kill this demon once and for all. After Allison stated her intentions and told the woman that she'd been to the labyrinth before, Eve agreed to let her come along as well, even though Allison knew she had made her suspicious in not demanding to be paid.

It was wise of Eve not to trust her, for Allison actually DID have her own agenda: she had to keep a close watch on them to make sure they didn't hurt Shadow once they got there. The other creatures that could be lurking inside were the ones that frightened her, so hopefully their little party would be able to handle them, but Gods forbid they ran into the dragon. If that happened, she didn't think they would stand a chance.

Allison didn't know what her plan would be once she got there, but she did know she had to go back. Perhaps the demon would let Shadow leave with her.

"I'm just saying," said Phillip, moving the axe to his other shoulder in clear discomfort, "maybe I should've brought a bow instead. Might be more desirable to keep my distance rather then close it once we're in there if you know what I'm saying."

"Shut up," came the soft voice of Eve from the back of their party. "It hardly makes a difference now and you're wasting your energy. Keep quiet, we're almost there."

Phillip turned his head and looked back, opening his mouth to offer a quick retort when the silent glare of Eve froze the words in his mouth. Allison smiled as the fox turned his head forwards again, muttering something under his breath.

Eve was right though, they were almost there.

_____________________________________________________________________

Rorrick gave a low whistle as the four of them approached the entrance to the labyrinth. Well, the entrance to Shadow's cave at least.

Allison had led them to the same spot in which she had last seen the Gryphon, and like before, the area was surrounded by trees with one path leading back to the road. Although the cave itself wasn't that intimidating, the structure rose up behind it like a giant spire, its beige stones seemingly darker and more hideous then before.

The sight gave Allison a chill. She didn't want to go back in there, but so far there'd been no sign of her Gryphon lover. He was probably just resting in his nest.

Phillip put his axe down on the ground and began to massage his shoulders with his paws, closing his eyes as he did. "Ah," he said, "you've no idea how good it feels to put that down."

Rorrick glanced back at the fox. "You sure you want to put it down?" He whispered, "Were right in front of the place you idiot! Something could be watching us."

"No, its more likely we'll get attacked when we're inside, so why don't you...gah!"

Phillip was stopped short by a sharp jab in his side by Eve, who'd snuck up behind him as he was talking. "Both of you shut up, and Phillip pick up your axe," she said. "We need to make as little noise as possible and we need to get moving so shut up. Allison, fall in behind, its better you come with us then stay out here by yourself."

Although she thought it was a good suggestion, Allison didn't want to be at the back of party. Sure it would be safer, but she knew they were going into Shadow's quarters, and she wanted to be the first one through in case they ran into him. "No, I need to be in front, I can still lead you."

Eve glared at Allison. "I appreciate the enthusiasm but you've guided us far enough, we can take it from here. I won't have you put at risk leading us further into this place, so shut up and get back."

And here it was: the distrust finally showing its ugly face. Allison had been a last minute addition to their little party, so it was only natural for the woman to regard her with suspicion. Perhaps she could compromise.

"Look," Allison said, holding out her arms, "I've been inside before, I can still lead you for a little while. This cave is the exact entrance from which I left: I know my way around inside, at least for a little while. As soon as I get to an area I'm unfamiliar with, I'll give you the lead, I swear."

Eve continued to glare at her, and moved her hand to one of the knives at her side. Allison shuck back a little, wondering what the woman intended. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to challenge Eve's wishes.

At that moment, Rorrick stepped in. "Whoa, ladies, alright, lets not let this spiral out of control. We don't want to be fighting amongst ourselves before we head in, so why don't we just let her go in front Eve? She can show us the way!"

Rorrick audibly gulped as Eve glanced in his direction. "There's no way in hell I'm letting her go first Rorrick,' she said, looking back to Allison. "Do you know her? Didn't think so. She says she's been inside the labyrinth before well that great, doesn't mean we can trust her. As far as we know, Allison could lead us into a trap. Maybe the only reason she got out was that she had an agreement with the demon to lure more people in here." Allison was about to protest but Eve held up her hand to silence her. "If you're intentions are true then great, I won't have to kill you later, but until we know for certain, whatever I say goes, now stay in the back, and follow my lead. Wouldn't want to be mistaken for a monster now would ya?"

Allison just stood there, not knowing what to say. Shadow could be anywhere inside that place, and she wanted, no, NEEDED to be in front to protect him from these people. At this point however, it didn't seem likely to happen without a knife entering her throat. Reluctantly, Allison nodded.

"Good," Eve said, turning towards the entrance. "Lets go then, and Phillip, pick up your axe dammit."

Grimacing in renewed pain, Phillip stooped down to pick up his axe, mumbling to himself once again.

_______________________________________________________________________

Allison reluctantly followed the other three members of the party as they made their way into the labyrinth. Phillip was just ahead of her, holding his axe over his shoulder once again. Every now and then when Allison got too close, the soft fur of his tail would brush against her knees, which always caused the fox to look back with a smirk.

She had to admit that she liked the fox, but Allison still didn't know what was going to happen up ahead. Knowing that they were nearing Shadow's nest, she kept her hand close to the long-sword at her belt, ready to spring forward if they ran into her Gryphon friend. As they walked about twenty meters more, there came a small split in the wall with light shining through. This was it, Allison thought, taking a deep breath, readying herself. She didn't think she would be able to fight her companions but hopefully it wouldn't come to that. They were here to kill the demon after all, so perhaps she could explain to them that Shadow was different.

As they entered the open chamber, Allison quickly scanned the room, searching the nest and corners of the room for signs of her friend. Although she hated being back in the labyrinth, it felt good to be back in this place. Familiar smells filled her nose as she wandered around the room, remembering every feature from her brief time spent here. As hard she searched however, Allison saw no sign of her friend. Shadow was gone.

She didn't know whether to be worried or relieved.

Looking around, Allison saw that her companions had begun exploring the room as well. Eve was pacing around the outside or the room, scanning intently for another door to lead them out, while Phillip and Rorrick stood in the center, taking in their surroundings.

Rorrick let out a low whistle. "So what," he said, "is this like, the demon's sleeping quarters?"

"Probably not," replied Phillip, gesturing towards the straw. "A nest. Really? Probably just once of his hench-creatures."

"Pretty nice for a hench-creature"

Eve turned to look at both of them. "Are you two done?" She hissed, "Just be glad nothings in here with us. Now you, Allison, how the hell do you get out of here?"

Allison raised her arm and pointed to a section of wall adjacent to the nest. "Over there, the wall should slide over once you approach."

Rorrick and Phillip moved from the center of the room over to where Allison was pointing. As the two approached, the wall slid over to the side, creating a doorway leading to a long, well-lit hallway.

"Well what do ya know." Rorrick said, leaning and taking a quick glance out the passageway. "You must've been really lucky getting out of here to find this place. How did you get out anyway?"

Allison began walking over to the door as well, saying, "As you said: luck."

"O really?" Eve said, falling in behind her. "Didn't have any help did we? Seems like this doorway would be pretty hard to find without at least some assistance. Did the demon lead you hm? So you could bring back more weary travellers for his amusement?"

Stopping and slowly turning, Allison folded her arms across her chest. "It happened how I said it happened so just drop it. Are you done with this? Or am I going to have to expect such questions at every single room we enter."

Phillip sighed. "Comon you two. Eve just drop it alright. If you didn't trust her then why'd you bring her along in the first place?"

"Because she's been here before," Eve said, stepping closer to Allison. "I thought that might be helpful but I think I've changed my mind. Look at this place: it looks clean, there's a freaking carpet on the ground, and she just happened to miraculously find the way out? No. I know how these labyrinth's work ok? You can't just escape unless something helps you. I saw the way you looked around the room, trying to find something are we? Or someone?

Eve stopped a few feet from Allison and rested her hand on one of her knives. "Tell me the truth right now, or we're going on without you."

Allison knew what Eve meant by "going on without you," and contemplated drawing her own sword, but immediately stopped that line of thinking. Even if she could best Eve, which she doubted, she would still have Rorrick and Phillip to contend with. Plus, she didn't really want to hurt these people, not over a misunderstanding. Eve thought she had made some kind of deal with the demon to allow her escape but she was wrong, it was Shadow. She was scared to tell her companions that she'd become more then friends with a beast, but perhaps there'd be no harm in actually telling them. Besides, what choice did she have? She didn't want to risk lying to Eve again. She seemed to have a sixth sense for this sort of thing.

Just as Allison opened her mouth to tell them about Shadow, a sinister voice echoed around the chamber, saying, "Well look at this..."

The voice made Allison and her companions jump, hands going straight for their weapons as they quickly looked around the room for the source of the voice.

"It's the demon... he's found us." Eve said, eyes wide and alert.

"Right you are there beautiful, right you are," the voiced hissed, its whereabouts seeming to come from everywhere at once. "I knew you were here as soon as you walked into the room. How could I not? This is MY labyrinth after all..."

There was a short laugh and then the demon continued, "Three unknown guests and why, Allison! So nice to see you again. It was a real shame when you made it out but I assure the culprit had been...dealt with." Allison felt her heart sink at the demon's words. Had that monster hurt Shadow because of her? Her companions regarded her with confusion but she didn't really care anymore. All she could feel was anger.

"If you hurt him..." Allison said.

"Then what? What will you do?" The demon laughed. "There's nothing you can do pathetic human. I can't even begin to explain how foolish you are, coming back to this place...but this time your not making it out...this time, you're fucking DEAD!"

"Show yourself demon," Eve said, spinning about. "Fight us you coward!"

The voice hissed a low laugh. "Trying to make me angry hm? Trying to make me come out? As entertaining as it would be to kill all of you right now, I think we should all have a little fun with this don't you? After all, its not everyday you get people just wandering into this place."

Without warning, Eve spun and threw one of her daggers into a dark corner of the room. The dagger spun and impacted against the solid stone, falling to the ground. Though there had clearly been nothing there, Allison thought the voice sounded, surprised. Maybe even curious when it responded.

"Ah, it seems there's more to one of you them meets the eye. Got a few tricks up your sleeve?"

"You don't know the half of it demon."

"Ah yes, well, in this case, I think this little adventure is over. Thought about toying with you but, I'm not so sure that's a good idea anymore. Bye bye!"

As the demon finished talking, several things happened all at once. First, the room started to rumble, the stone walls around them grating against each other and creating a loud, hideous noise that made Allison want to cover her ears. The ground shook underneath them, making it difficult to for Allison to keep her balance as she ran over to where Eve was standing. Secondly, the ground on which Rorrick and Phillip were standing opened up underneath them, cause them to fall before either of them could react. Rorrick gave a scream and the fox a sharp yelp as both of them plunged downwards into the darkness.

Eve gave a cry of dismay in seeing her companions fall, but quickly burst into action shortly afterwards. Running and grabbing Allison by the arm, the two women ran for the hallway.

Allison was wondering why Eve was urging her forwards with such urgency. "HEY! HEY!" She said, wrenching out of Eve's grasp, we should help them!"

"HOW do we fucking do that! They're gone! MOVE!" Eve screamed, grabbing Allison by the arm again as a chunk of rock fell from the ceiling right behind her, nearly striking the top of her head.

The stone door slammed back into place behind them as the two woman threw themselves through the opening into the hallway. A faint rumble could still be heard through the door as Allison and Eve lay on the ground, catching their breath. All was still for a few moments, until the soft laughter of the demon echoed down the hallway towards them, sending a chill down Allison's spine.

Then all the torches went out, snuffed by an unseen force, and the two women found themselves in complete darkness, trapped in the demon's labyrinth.

_____________________________________________________________________

Chapter 2 - Hellhound

"Please wake up Phillip, come on, we have to go! Please...wake up..."

Phillip slowly came back to consciousness as he felt unseen hands on his shoulders, shaking him lighlty. The fox groaned painfully and opened his eyes, blinking a few times to reorient himself with his surroundings. Looking up, he saw his human friend Rorrick, who was crouched over him checking to see if he was hurt. When the man noticed that he was alright, he gave him a relieved smile.

"O thank the Gods you're alright! How do you feel Phillip? Can u move? Say something!" Rorrick said, a worried expression on his face.

Phillip rolled over and immediately let out a sharp exhale of breath. No, no he was not alright: he hurt everywhere. His body, all the way from the tip of his muzzle to his clawed toes felt like somebody had taken a club to it. He couldn't remember how long the fall had been, but it must've really hurt him. At least he was alive though, for that much he could be thankful.

"Ow," Phillip said, trying to move again before giving up and lying down once again. "It feels like I was beat with a bag of bricks Rorrick. I'm definitely NOT ok..."

Reaching out with his paw to grasp the armour on Rorrick's arm, the fox let his friend help him up into a sitting position. "Well, you can move, at least that's a start," the human said, "we can't stay here for long, we have to find a way out and join the others."

"Where are we anyway?" Phillip asked, looking around for the first time. Unlike the room they were in previously, this new area truly was a cave. There were no furnishings, beds, or carpets in this room: only a hard, rocky floor with stalagmites on the ceiling and few torches to light up the otherwise dark and dreary walls. Whatever called this place home, Phillip had no intention of finding out.

"Ya, lets get out of here," the fox said, pulling himself to his feet. "I'd really rather not stay here." Standing up was a little difficult, but fear lent him the energy he needed to move. Looking down to his left, Philip noticed that his axe somehow managed to make the journey down with him. Its newly sharpened blade had embedded itself within the rock, and its handle stood straight up into the air, frozen at about mid-level. It was a miracle it never hit either of them, Philip thought, but no use dwelling on it, we have to get out of here. There was something about the cavern that was...unsettling.

A few moments after Phillip stood up however, his worst fears were confirmed as a low growl rumbled from a dark expanse of the cave, a place that the torches failed touch. Looking over to his companion, Phillip saw that Rorrick turn pale, his face a mask of terror as he looked to where the noise had originated. Turning as well, Phillip watched as a giant beast emerged from the shadows to confront them.

As the creature walked into the light, the fox felt his heart hammer in his chest. Standing in front of him, slowly approaching, was a giant wolf. Jet black from head to toe, the wolf stood almost two stories high, the tufts of it ears brushing against the stalagmites as it walked forward. Its ears were low on its head and it bared its giant, white fangs in clear hostility, wagging its long, furry tail as it crouched low to the ground.

Its red eyes glowed in the darkness of the cave, casting a pale red light on the stone floor as the wolf crouched low, stalking the newcomers that had stumbled into its lair.

"Um...Phillip?" Rorrick whispered, too scarred to move.

"...Yes?" The fox managed to whine as he shook in pure fright.

"I think we're going to need your axe..."

There came a wet, slopping noise from the wolf as the beast licked its lips. Its eyes gleamed with hunger as it studied the two hunters, who continued to remain perfectly still. Hoping to frighten them more, the beast opened his great maw, letting his hot breath wash out over the stone floor. Heavy drops of saliva fell from the upper part of his jaw, which slowly made their way down onto the wolf's tongue, collecting in slimy pools of drool.

Phillip audibly gulped as he stared at the darkness of the beast's maw. The heavy lathe of the wolf's mouth washed over him and a putrid stench enveloped his nostrils as the creature exhaled in their direction. Whatever this creature was, it seemed to be quite intelligent: and if it was trying to make them even more frightened, then it was definitely working.

Then, without warning, the wolf launched itself forward, jaws agape, directly for the fox. Phillip yelped and jumped to the side, the mouth of the wolf slamming shut over where he used to be with a loud, meaty snap. As Phillip frantically pulled himself back up, the wolf's red eye fixated on his position, and the black lips of the beast curled into a smile. Now at the side of the wolf, Phillip chance a quick glance at the creature's hindquarters, making a mental note that the wolf was female. No obvious weaknesses back there, the fox thought.

Now back on his feet, the fox drew the sword at his hip and took a quick glance at his axe, which still lay buried in the rock a few feet to the left of the giant wolf's muzzle. There was no way he'd be getting that at the moment, trying would mean death. Instead, the fox took up a defensive position, holding the sword raised high and his arms extended. Phillip had never been more frightened in his life, but he was a hunter: he knew how to channel his fear into action.

The wolf seemed just about to strike again when something impacted its head from the side, causing the beast to yelp in surprise and back away, favouring its right paw. As the beast backed away, Phillip saw Rorrick standing on the other side, a bloody sword clutched in his hand. When the wolf had been distracted with Phillip, the human had driven his sword into the beast's front leg, hampering its ability to move. The wolf was smart, but not too smart, thought Phillip.

"GO! Get the axe!" Shouted Rorrick as the wolf turned to him, red eyes glowing with hate.

Running as fast as his paws would carry him, the fox sprinted over to his axe on the floor, sheathing his sword and grasping the handle with both paws. Gripping the iron as best as he could, Phillip tugged on the massive weapon, struggling to free it from the confines of the rock. On the third pull, he heard a short yell that was abruptly cut short, followed by the sound of a sword clattering to the stone floor.

Turning, Phillip watched in horror as he saw his friend hanging out of the wolf's mouth, frantically kicking his legs outside of those massive, black lips, which twisted into a smile of delight.

Drool fell from the corners of the beast's mouth as it opened its maw slightly, curling its tongue around Rorrick's legs before slurping him inside. Phillip watched as the wolf toyed with his friend in its mouth: the lower jaw of the beast moved, and the occasional bulge appeared in the cheeks, punctuated by a muffled yell. The beast appeared to dislike the fact that Rorrick was wearing leather armour. Her red eyes narrowed in concentration as the wolf licked at the man inside her mouth, pausing occasionally to spit out a piece of armour or article of clothing.

Taking a deep breath, Phillip frantically renewed his efforts to pull the axe free. The wolf was really taking her time with his friend, and if Phillip could get this weapon free, he might have a fighting chance of freeing him. The fox dug his foot paws into the ground and pulled as hard as he could. Though he closed his eyes in exertion, he could still hear the wet, meaty sounds of the wolf tasting his friend, and the odd clang as a sopping wet piece of clothing was ejected from the beast's maw. He had to hurry if he wanted to save him.

Giving it his all, Phillip pulled at the handle with one last, final pull, tugging with all his might and finally, the axe came free. Falling to the ground, the fox grunted as his shoulder hit the stone floor, the axe hitting the ground beside him with a loud clang. Standing up quickly, Phillip grabbed the axe and turned, only to realize that he was too late.

The wolf had finished playing his friend and now tilted its head skywards, closing its eyes and swallowing with a audible gulp. A saliva-soaked pile of clothing and armor lay on the ground beside her as the wolf rolled her shoulders, tensing its body for the incoming meal. The furry throat of the beast expanded as his friend was pushed downwards into the neck, appearing as a round bulge in the very back of the creature's maw. There was a brief pause where the wolf appeared to choke slightly, coughing as Rorrick was logged in the thick beck of the beast. As the wolf opened her mouth in an effort to widen her throat, Phillip could hear the desperate screams of his friend, which were cut short as the wolf's throat rippled with a soft 'gluck.' With one more, desperate swallow, the wolf fully engulfed his friend, who disappeared deep into the beast's chest.

Phillip continued to stare with great sorrow as the bulge moved downwards into the wolf's gut, which expanded slightly with the weight of its new prey. The belly of the beast sagged by about a foot, and the fox could still hear muffled yells and see slight movements along the expanse of the wolf's stomach. Sighing with satisfaction, the wolf opened its eyes and looked directly at the fox, licking its chops and letting even more saliva fall to the stone floor. Phillip gave a small, swallow of his own, knowing fully well that the wolf intended to add him to its stomach as well.

Opening its maw once again, the wolf let out an extremely loud, rumbling belch that echoed around the cavern interior, bouncing off the walls and assaulting the fox's sensitive ears for several moments before fading away. After that, the movements and yells coming from the beast's insides stopped. Letting out a few more smaller burps, the wolf closed her eyes and gave a low growl, clearly happy with her meal. It was too late for Rorrick: his friend was gone for good, but perhaps he could still make it out of the cave alive. Giving Phillip an evil smile, the wolf crouched low to the ground once again, getting ready to pounce at him as it did before.

Gripping the shaft of the axe tightly, Phillip raised the axe over his head, preparing to strike should the wolf attempt to rush him. The weapon was extremely heavy, but deadly as well; the fox had to be sure that his first strike was true, else he might not have the opportunity to attack again. Now that the wolf was slowed by her meal, he might have a chance of catching her off guard.

The wolf studied the axe warily, slowly pacing from side to side but keeping its distance, baring its teeth and snarling loudly as Phillip kept the beast away. The fox didn't think that the wolf would try pouncing again, not with the monstrous axe held above his head, but he had to get away from the beast somehow and fast: his arms were getting tired.

There was nothing behind the wolf but a blank expanse of cave wall, so it would be pointless to try and get around her, but Phillip knew that behind him the cave stretched for quite a while; and although he was unsure of where the passage led, it was definitely more promising then trying anything else.

As the wolf paced in front of him, looking for an opening, Phillip slowly began to back up. Taking a quick look behind him before looking at the canine once again, the fox began to slowly back-pedal to the rear of the cave, look for an exit as he went. It had to be around here somewhere...

The sinister wolf growled and slowly followed him, baring her shiny, white teeth in a threatening grimace. Although he was about twenty feet away, Phillip could still smell the rank odour of the beast's breath as the creature exhaled in his direction. The fox could only imagine how powerful the smell must've been for Rorrick, trapped inside the maw for so long before finally swallowed.

Phillip had made it about halfway to his intended destination before he finally stopped. The wolf halted in front of him as well, narrowing its eyes and wagging its tail in anticipation. The extreme weight of the axe was beginning to take its toll on the fox, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold it upright. He might be able to make it to the back of the cave, but what then? If there was no way out he would have to stand and fight, and that wouldn't end well if he was too tired to hold a weapons. Hell, it probably wouldn't end well even if he wasn't tired...

The wolf wouldn't attack him until she saw an opening. So far the wolf had been wise in avoiding him but it wouldn't stay that way for long. Phillip had to think of something or it would only be a matter of time before he joined the human in the wolf's belly. He had to make the wolf come to him, something that would make her think that she could win, or at least overwhelm him and dine at her leisure. An opening perhaps?

Phillip began stepping backwards one again and as if on cue, the wolf prowled forward as well, stalking her prey. I really hope this works, Phillip thought.

Taking a small step backwards, the fox let out a yell and faked a stumble, pretending to fall by going down on one knee and letting the axe drop behind his back. His ruse worked, and the wolf jumped directly at him with a loud snarl, opening her mouth wide to capture the fox as he was down.

Exactly what Phillip wanted to happen.

Everything that followed happened in about the course of a few seconds. Standing as fast he could, the fox gripped the handle of the axe and with all of his might, swung the axe over his head and down to meet the oncoming wolf.

Suddenly realizing that the fox wasn't as helpless as she thought, the wolf's eyes widened in surprise. Unable to change her course of direction in midair, the wolf turned her head, hoping to avoid the full impact of the blow.

Phillip put all the energy he had left into this one last, desperate attack. As the axe whipped around the blade complete missed the head of the wolf, but did manage to hit the left foreleg of the beast, burying itself deep into the muscle and finding bone.

The wolf let out a loud yelp and fell, sliding on the floor and crashing into Phillip, who had no time to get away. Hitting the ground and painfully rolling along the stone floor, the fox knocked his head against the ground and laid face down, still conscious but disoriented from the force of the blow. Groaning in pain, the fox pushed himself onto his hands and knees and shook his head. There wasn't much time; he needed to move soon or the wolf would be upon him.

Looking up, Phillip saw the wolf hunched over in pain, softly licking the axe that was embedded in its leg. Taking a gentle grip of the axe's handle with her mouth, the wolf tugged the axe free and let it fall to the ground. Whining, the wolf began to lick her wound.

Now completely recovered, Phillip got up and ran as fast as he could away from the wolf and towards the unexplored part of the cave. If there was an exit, he had to find it fast. He only had the longsword at his belt, and the fox didn't think it would be sufficient when the wolf renewed its efforts. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for any kind of opening that he could use to escape As he cast his gaze over the left section of wall, he noticed a small crack in the rock, too small for a giant wolf to fit through, but perhaps just enough for him. An escape route perhaps?

Phillip nearly jumped out of his fur when the blood-chilling roar of the wolf thundered out of the darkness behind him. Apparently she had finished nursing her wound, and now the wolf was back on the hunt, enraged at having been outsmarted. The fox heard ragged panting and the loud click of nails on the stone floor as the wolf sprinted through the darkness to catch him.

Shaking with fright, Phillip ran for the opening in the rock, crouching low and diving into the small tunnel. He didn't know where it led, or if it even went somewhere, but it was his only choice.

Phillip just managed to pull his footpaws into the opening when the giant form of the wolf came crashing into the wall behind him. Shrieking and crawling frantically away, the fox felt one of the beast's claws rake the tip of his tail before slamming into the stone floor and dragging along the stone, making a hideously disturbing screech.

The wolf continued to slam its body against the wall in a frenzy, its blood-red eyes glowing with hate at the prey that had escaped her.

Wincing every time the giant beast slammed into his little hideout, Phillip looked ahead and continued to drag himself along the small tunnel. Despite his exceptionally good night-vision, the fox couldn't see a thing as he continued to crawl through the dark expanse of corridor. He had absolutely no idea where he was going but he know he didn't want to go back.

The distant rumbles of the wolf hitting and clawing at the wall eventually faded away into nothingness as the fox got further away. He had been lucky in finding this passage, luckier then his friend anyway. Phillip whispered a silent prayer that his luck continued; hopefully he wouldn't end up as a meal for some foul beast.

Groaning and mumbling to himself, Phillip continued to drag himself forwards into the dark. He never should've taken this job.