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The Beastridden

part 6

Knuckle awoke gently, his awareness settling about himself like falling snow. He blinked his sleep away, rubbing his eyes as he felt the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. True relief, as it was indeed. He took a slow look around the room, and at the holes his cousin punched into the hardwood floors when he took it upon himself to handle Knuckle's urges, and allow him release.

His nose told him he was alone, but it was not long since he was left by himself to slumber. He had a series of scents about himself, and he slipped his trunks up to tie their drawstrings securely. With a grunt he stood and allowed his body to settle, floating on his roughly padded toes as he slowly found the mood to practice his moves, attacks, and stances he had learned back home with Cajo and others.

The brown wolf finished a kick and held a knee up, arms crossed as his eyes caught a glint of metal along the floor near Cajo's empty pad.

"Yesss..!" Knuckle hooted, as he recognized Cajo's pair of knuckle axes, (deliberately) apparently left for Knuckle's discovery. Knuckle picked them up, his fingers fitting through each hole and he gave them a swift whirl before catching them expertly in a secure grip.

"Awright, so use the point and twist, always."

* * *

Cajo and Jonas sat at a banquet table in the common area, and enjoyed a free breakfast provided by the staff for guests. Jonas had a whipped clam chowder that he ate with crackers made of seaweed meal, and Cajo had a warm plate of soft and tender deer jerky, generously dressed with a sauce made for various meats.

Both ate their breakfast together in comfortable silence, occasionally casting smiles of approval at one another after a bite, or a few.

"Ya think Knuck's awake yet?" Cajo asked, chewing slowly and minding his manners.

"I don't think so. He looked like he would sleep until noon!" the otter said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, Ah reckon you'd be right.." the wolf said, smiling despite himself.

"He'll find us. His nose ain't great but it works." Cajo finished, and the two enjoyed their fill, then more.

** ** **

Senryul and Futoranda attacked each other simultaneously, forcing themselves and the other away. Senryul swallowed hard, but the bear grinned and whirled his weapon in a faint blur. Senryul held his sword low, his burning eyes never wavering even though he was slowly losing strength, as his subordinate seemed just as virile and empowered.

The hybrid sheathed his sword, and stood still.

"'Randa...enough." he said.

"I got all day boss." the bear returned, taking a step and handling his lithe instrument a bit faster.

"I said ENOUGH."

"What's up? Can't hang?" the bear mocked, fueled by his own bravado. Senryul's face stiffened, and he took a single step before he vanished. Futoranda instantly brandished his weapon in a ferocious manner, enveloping himself in a carnivorous sphere that made sparks in random locations around him; defending himself from supersonic attacks.

Futoranda handled his weapon with mastery that surpassed his master's swordsmanship, and the sphere ate into the ground a bit.

But suddenly...

The bear's shifting feet met weak earth and sank into a hole.

"SHIT!" he exclaimed, with wide eyes.

He toppled, and in his surprise he looked to identify the problem: the hole wasn't natural. Senryul immediately appeared in midair just above the bear, both hands on the hilt of his sword to strike with a hammer's force.

The bear blocked it with the central section of his weapon, and the hybrid rebounded back, sheathing his sword mid-flight, to draw it and attack once again, all before his feet hit the ground. The bear blocked the second attack, and with a surge of intuition wound his weapon over his right shoulder, behind his back, and caught it with his left hand to give the ground a devastating whip as a fearsome landshark burst forth, rolling forward to attack Futoranda with a strong slash of his tail. The attacks met, ripping the earth away as the three Beastridden stood, stalemated by their guard.

The three looked at each other, dazed. Then the landshark began to laugh. The bear joined in, and Senryul breathed a sigh of relief as he recognized the beast as one member of the Council of Fangs.

"Xarieos.." Senryul said with a quickened heartbeat as the other beasts laughed, jolly and unconcerned.

"Why are you here?" he continued, and the earthbeast took comfortable footing to eye his comrade.

"I can tell you mean to begin your conquest today. I can almost smell your desire. You flooded the air with so much lust the big one and I tore the white one to shreds! Not really, you know." Xarieos said with a grin.

"So, we'll help. We all have our aims, and you deserve your success too." he said, giving a laudatory snap of his fangs. Futoranda looked at the two, who he noticed were still and silent, save the clash of the landshark's mouth.

"Boss?" he whispered.

"Your little teddy is gonna be a great asset here. His tool would have split my tail in half! Luckily I can heal swiftly." Xarieos said, pointing the end of it up to show the fading traces of a scar.

"He is much more powerful than I expected." Senryul said with a sigh.

"We might have a spot for him on the council. After all is done we will crown him too." Xarieos said, nodding in his direction. For a moment, Senryul was dumbfounded.

"What is your first target?" Xarieos questioned.

"A settlement nearby; Hornstrel." Senryul said darkly.

"Attack the capitol, brilliant!" the landshark praised.

"I care not for the capitol. I have a vendetta, and the target is currently at the location. Earthly punishment will destroy all he loves. Even those around him will suffer." Senryul said, and the landshark instantly gug into the ground, burrowing ahead with speed and strength in the direction of the nearby settlement. Senryul felt a ringing in his ears, then clear speech. The prospect instantly gave Xarieos favor with the warrior beast.

"Let me deliver you this city Senryul! As a gift! Arrive at your leisure! Breed your woman even!"

Senryul's stern and straight expression broke into a light chuckle.