| Vanya has a thoughtful look in her eyes.
She was the first to recover from the initial shock of NOT transforming
into a lioness. Several members of the Pride still looked a bit sandbagged.
They were still trying to take it in.
Vanya's left ear twitches in surprise and her eyes open a tad wider
when she has a REAL good look at the eyes of those around her.
She rushes over, grabs a mirror that she happened to have recently acquired,
and stared at her reflection. Her normal, blue human like eyes had been
replaced....with the brown/amber eyes of a lion!
***************************************************************
Fred looked out at the gathered Pack, and glances up at the full moon.
He shakes his head slightly. Of all the things that the strangeness that
had happened since becoming a werefox, NOT changing into an animal with
the rise of the full moon was way up on his list of "Unexpected Events."
The general excited buzzing of the gathered Pack denoted happiness at the
turn of events.....and wonder as to what had happened to their eyes. All
the Pack members' eyes had changed into those of the beast that the curse
had warped their body into. His and Alicia's eyes had changed into an interesting
shade of amber....like those of foxes (naturally).
The magic users of the Pack, Synizn and Carradene, step forward and
signal Fred. From the self satisfied look on both of their faces (especially
on the muzzle of the werebear), Fred gathers that they had made a breakthrough
in this mysterious turn of events. He nods slightly, and then makes a signal
to wait a second.
"Alicia, have you been able to get Will and Astra to open up their door?"
Fred asks his wife. He wanted his cousin and Astra to sit in on this interesting
town meeting.
Alicia sighs, and then gives Fred a quick, tender muzzle (i.e. they
touch noses.....their equivalent of a kiss).
"Dear, you know that that door was built for sieges in mind," Alicia
says with a small smile. "Not only is it too thick to batter down easily,
the magic woven into the door to strengthen it also makes a more than adequate
noise dampener."
"Very well," Fred sighs. "We'll just tell them what happened in the
morning."
Fred steps up to the podium, and pitched his voice so that his voice
would reach every corner of this ampitheater.
"Members of the Pack," Fred says, smiling. "As you see, the moon is
full, and wonder of wonders, we stand together, united and in our humanoid
guises. Except for our eyes, that is....I had our resident magic experts,
Carradene and Synizn, have examined several volunteers. Your results, gentlemen?"
There is a general mutter as the magic users step up to speak. The noise
isn't.....hostile....but it is not exactly warm. Carradene was still viewed
by some, as a bootlicker (now just licking Fred's boots). However, nobody
will deny that he wouldn't come in useful in a pitched battle. Having a
wizard on your side during a city siege was a blessing. Having two.....
As for Synizn, the Pack hadn't exactly made up it's mind yet about the
odd werebear. At times, the mage seemed open and friendly enough. At other
times, Synizn was withdrawn and moody. Also, to some, his story of how
he had escaped his island prison had an odd ring to it. For the most part,
the two were viewed as, if nothing else, useful. Doubly so since they had
started to take up apprentices.....
"After intense investigation," Synizn says in his usual slightly superior
tone of voice. "We have found some rather amazing, and heartening news."
"What we found is thus," Carradene continues. "The magical add on that
Minestus introduced us to through Frederigo D'Honaire has gone further
than that damn dragon ever intended, by the looks of it. You see, Moreau
had on several occasions, gloated how through our.....reversion to a simpler
state of mind, that of an animal, brought us closer to what Minestus had
in mind for the Pack. What happened with the add-on was that it not only
freed us from the threat of going Forsaken......well, let me demonstrate."
The Pack blink and gasp in surprise as Carradene's humanoid form quickly
shifts and warps into that of a grey furred, old wolf.
"We gained control of the change!" Carradene shouts through the wolf's
muzzle. He then shifts back into his humanoid werewolf form.
"We are no longer hostage to the phases of the Moon." Synizn gloats.
"While not quiet as good as a cure....it's better than what had gone before."
The several members of the crowd shout questions. Others are eagerly
discussing the ramifications of what this means. Carradene slams his wizard's
staff several times loudly to bring the Pack back to order.
"Folks, there's one very IMPORTANT fact that all should know," Carradene
says in a suddenly grave voice. "With the onset of our new reality, comes
a sudden complicating factor....that we call the 'Truename' factor.
"While not quiet as....debilitating as a Fey folk's true name....it
can be uncomfortable," Carradene warns. "From what I and Synizn have been
able to see, each and every one of you have had....recieved a simple descriptive
name on the last few nights on Moreau's island. That named shared with
friends and loved ones will cause no pain when spoken by them.....it can
prove to be a fatal distraction in a fight if an enemy speaks. The Truename
is a key/sound/concept that tells others exactly WHO you are. It's a window
into your soul."
"In other words," Synizn says solemnly. "Don't go and tell that Name
just to any old person."
Other questions are asked and answered by the mages. One thing that
stands out in Fred's mind is the question about the Pack's eyes. Their
change only denotes that the full moon is out.....and will return to normal
with the coming of the dawn and the end of the phase of the full moon.
Another is the matter of clothing! The apparent death of the dragonmage
Minestus brings about shouts of joy, as well as some thoughtful looks from
several of the deeper thinker of the Pack. Then.....
|
