Puzzle Pieces

Once the storm passed they continued on with their journey.

They traveled for many days through forests that gradually turned to velvet fields. That melted into wide flat planes that played with her hair the tall grasses. Then again trees started spring from from the grassy hillsides and rocks rose supported by cliffs. White bubbling rivers carved the land and Caith jumped between two rocky outcroppings. A cool breeze rose up from the river bellow tickling Sionna's bare feet.

The clouds up ahead turned from soft bubbles to jagged outlines towering towards the heavens. The snowy tops kissed white clouds as they clung to the rocky peaks. The wolf below her seemed determine in his steps as he ascended each hill which grew steeper. He descended with such speed that her palms became sweaty as she hung on tighter to him. During their travels they passed a small village and downsized the bags. So now she wore the small backpack with a small canvas sack tied to it holding all of their food.

Her necklace bounced around her throat the stone almost hitting her in the face when Caith jumped from bolder to boulder. She grit her teeth with excitement and terror as they navigated the monumental surroundings.

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Ciall stood at one end of the table. A tall woman in a black cloak stood at the other. The stone table felt like ice against Ciall's sweaty palms. Careful she removed them from the table out of Keepers powerful stare.

"I asked for the wolf and the fox twice. Yet both times you come back with neither. This is very unlike you." The keepers voice was cold and smooth like a mountain stream from melted snow. Here gaze steady as she watched the woman in front of her.

"Over the years I have brought you many shifters from all over the world. Some gave me grief and I have the scars to bare witness. Yet these are no ordinary shifters. They are unlike anything I have ever come across. I don't know how to capture them. They are just too powerful."

"There is no such thing as too powerful." Said the Keeper. Her eyes burning like hot coals and her voice turning to ferocious white water.

"Well they desecrated an army with ease. It wasn't even like they were scared. It was almost like we were just a minor inconvenience for them." She recalled staring intensely at the black rock in front of her. The slate texture made a wolfs face and she recalled the moment she thought she died.

"I am just alive cause the wolf didn't want to kill me."

"And why's that?" Her voice now returning to a calmer stream.

Ciall lifted her black eyes to look directly at the Keeper. She say Demarcus's face as he took his last ragged breath.

"I don't know." She said her face as still as the stone table in front of them.

"Maybe he's not done playing with me yet."

The Keeper nodded slowly at her last sentence, her pale face mulling it over like one trying to chew tough steak.

"That's possible. That would explain why he gave you the compass back." She said looking at it sitting so meaninglessly in the center of the table. It was strange how something so simple could cause so much trouble.

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Sionna sat perched above a steep canyon wall. She watched the river slither below her and hiss it's powerful cry. The dark grey cliffs wore green foliage clothing as it looked down at the water with her.

"She made the wrong choice." Said a voice old shrill voice she did not know. It seemed to come from the canyon itself.

"Who?" She asked and her own voice echoed back to her.

"The woman with the compass." Said the voice again and she scanned the rock walls to find its source. Suddenly she noticed a rock jutting out from the others. Two green circles peered at her, framed by giant cat ears and a pointed cat nose.

"What woman and what compass?" She asked the cat sculpted into the sheer cliff.

"The one that's trying to capture you, and the one bounded to your soul." Crinkling her forehead and frowning slightly Sionna recalled Caith mentioning he gave one of the woman a choice. It becoming clearer now she opened her mouth to speak, but the canyon started to erode rapidly the cat fell into the river bellow it. The cliff bellow her let out a vicious shake before she two descended into the water bellow. Waking up she saw the brilliant night sky. The stars offered comfort as she felt her fur brush against Caith's. Listening to his soft breath whisper on his large wet nose, she decided to tell him in the morning. Adjusting her front paws she glanced up at the night sky and tried to coax herself to sleep.

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The keeper was now alone at the stone table her icy cold hands felt comfortable against its cool surface. She now had a large old leather book in front of her. The page's sweet musky smell filled the room. As she examined the writing under the flickering light of the steel candelabra above her head.

"Lucas," the Keeper basically whispered like a small trickling stream. Scurrying feet could be heard entering the room and her red eyes didn't bother to look up at him.

"Find our more about Ciall, I want to know everything and anything about her you can."

"Of course master." The small man squeaked our softly.

"That will be all."