"The Imposter In Our Midst"

Once the cow had been hauled back to the tent village,the villagers began to draw and quarter the cow,dividing it among families,Grayson even got a decent enough piece to cook.

"So,Xala,is there anything else we need to talk about? Do I have the secret power to fly or something?" Grayson asked,getting an amused chuckle.

"No,no. You're about as taught as I can get you for now. It will be only a matter of time before you'll be sent on your way,to find your way home." Xala explains,seeming a little disappointed at that last bit.

"Getting home...never thought id get this far..." Grayson thought out loud ..

The day went on normally,with Grayson getting acquainted to his taller form,and refreshed senses. Many of the villagers were very kind,offering some of their preserves,sometimes weapons,though Grayson declined them,as he already had a heavy load.

As the sun began sinking into the horizon once more,Grayson was guided to his tent.

As darkness quickly began spreading through the small tent town,many have fallen asleep,not a sound emitted..

Someone leaves their tent in a black cloak,carefully weaving between the watchmen as she carefully made way to Grayson's tent.

Quietly she peeks in,slowly bringing the rest of her body in as she spotted the male fast asleep. She silently rummaged through Grayson's bag,slowly bringing the knife he was given into the light.

She slowly backs out,concealing it..

This particular person was not of the faction..

She was here on a mission. To ruin Grayson's image..

Once again she began stalking the village from the shadows,looking for a particularly patterned tent. She locates a white and red striped tent,the only one of a recognized pattern..

Within,the village chief was talking with Xala.

He was a young,buff male wearing an ornate crown,with a mask to conceal his face,along with fur clothes to match and insulate. The only tellable facial detail were his green eyes.

"We cannot guarantee the boy safe passage through the land. The Empress' influence has grown dangerous. I fear if we attend the trip,The Empress will assume all of our clan an enemy." He said.

The map was of a safe path to get Grayson to where he last lived,though it cut through aggressively indicated danger territory.

The reigons had been divided into distinct countries amongst Gladya's Generals,The Empress and what remained of the neutral citizens.

"Sir,with all due respect that man saved you 8 years ago. The least of a thanks you could possibly give him is an escort. The Illegal Biotrade will hunt and use him-"

"I do not wish to discuss this any further. I will say this,and this alone. He is not of our pack. If you really insist on an escort,volunteer yourself. I will not lose anymore people, and do not be surprised when you do not find us here. Am I clear?" He asked,his voice emitted a slight growl.

"Crystal..." Xala said sourly.

"Now go. I must rest.."

She gets up,quickly leaving,to go to her tent and prepare for the journey that laid ahead.

The stranger watched Xala leave. "Issues with the chief...Awful convenient if I dropped in...to fake the murder..."

The last part was basically silent as she made her way to the chief's tent.

"I thought I- Wait- Who are you?" The chief asked.

"Your doom."

A brief struggle was heard in the tent,just outside of earshot...Then silence....

The stranger left the tent,the color of her cloak hiding the Chief's blood...

Not the smell...

Grayson woke in cold sweat as the harsh,metallic smell of blood in his tent. He ignites a nearby lantern. There was none,but his bag had been clearly raided.

He pokes his head out of the tent..

The smell was strong...

He stops a guard,"Hey,do you smell that?"

The guard looks at him,confused. "What are you smelling...?"

"Blood...I think someone has been in my tent."

The guard's face went pale..

"We should see what's going on. Make sure everything is okay."

"Y-yeah..Go ahead without me..."

The guard began to make a little haste as Grayson began tracking the smell. He tracked it all the way back to the Chief's tent...

Nervously he opened the door...

"GUARDS!!! GUARDS!!!"

Grayson's panicked words were met with the guards barging in on a bloody scene,his dagger embedded deeply into the Chief's chest.

The guards siezed Grayson with little fighting back-

He was taken to an enforcer of the tribe,an old female who stayed in a court room sized tent..

"Your honor,The dog found that the chief has been murdered,with a dagger he posessed. What say you?"

The Enforcer glares at Grayson.

A terrifying expression,one of sheer rage and malice..

"Explain yourself,Dog." The Enforcer ordered.

"I woke up catching scent of blood,not even minutes old. My bag was also disturbed by someone. I spoke briefly to a guard about it and went to investigate myself."

The Enforcer hums..

"Continue."

"When i arrived i discovered that a dagger I had been gifted was used to perform the act."

The Enforcer hums...

"Until proven innocent,you are to be detained until further notice until I have rendered my decision. Dismissed."

The guards ushered Grayson with their sword,to a smooth stone lined pit,deep enough to contain someone. Grayson was pushed into the pit.

"Welcome to your new home,Dog." One of them added in spite.

Grayson sighs softly as he sat down...

Xala approached the hole..

"What are you doing here?" She quickly asked.

"Accused of being a murderer. The Chief was killed recently,and I might have scented who it was." Grayson explained.

"If you can find who it was i can be sent on my way."

"I think you mean we." Xala said as she kicks the pit's rope ladder down.

"Wait- What about my accusation?"

"You can worry about that when you haul the criminal to the Enforcer yourself. You're a Wolven,stop acting like a pup." Xala said,sounding slightly annoyed.

'If this man is anything like the stories we will find the perpatrator..eventually.'

Grayson climbs out of the pit,giving a deep sniff.

"They're still here but the scent is faint. She must have washed off some of the blood." He explains.

"Can we find her?" Xala asked as Grayson began to track down the scent.

Grayson grunts,"Not easily. We'll be grabbing at straws until we at least see the..."

He zoned off,something deep within his mind coming fourth. As he took another breath in,a red trail began to form before him...

"This way..." Grayson said in a slight haze,heading in the opposite direction.

"Grayson..? Grayson speak to me!" Xala said as she followed the entranced male. He was completely out of it,and so Xala could only follow..

For at least a few hundred yards he followed the scent,until he reached a dead end,where the red aura flowed to and pooled.

Grayson digs,finding dark snow covered clothes which reeked of the scent,and a single,half-buried chest. He came to as he opened the chest. In it,an altar,with a scar of gladya placed on a small pedastal.

"Shhhhit there is a Scar here..." Grayson mutters as he looked to Xala. She was staring absently at the blade,seeming almost as out of it as he was a short time ago.

"A-a scar...here among us..this is bad- who knows how many people she has assimilated what if we are next-"

"Hey! Hey. Xala calm down. We will find her. The blade has no blood on it so she hasnt even considered using it yet,I hope. Judging by how well hidden this chest is though,she has been here a while."

Grayson sniffs the air again,seeing if that strange ability would come of use. No trail formed,yet.

"I've lost her scent it seems. We will have to keep searching." Grayson said,beginning to start moving back toward the village.

"So,you've never told me where you're from." Xala said as they walked.

"It's a little hard to explain..where I come from is definitely not like this place. No magic or monsters,just harsh truth." Grayson said,as they passed the jailpit.

As they approached the village,Xala siezed Grayson,forcing his hands behind his back. "Play along." She quietly whispers as they passed a few guards. Grayson traded a glare or two,as village security had increased,though it seemed as he was passing undisturbed.

"You getting anything yet?" Xala questions quietly.

Grayson sniffs again,a faint trail formed. "She's close but her scent is obscured by.."

He sniffs again..

"Coffee?"

The Enforcer approached.

"Xala,what are you doing with the Dog?" She asked.

"I...was about to go interrogate him. Pry the truth out of him if I can." Xala said,trying to sound convincing. The Enforcer squints at Xala...Then Grayson.

"Fine. Flog it out of him if you have to. I will have my corpse." She said,glaring at Grayson.

"Im confident you will." Grayson affirms.

With that the enforcer leaves.

"Is she always this sunny?" Grayson asked.

"Not always. The murder doesn't help. I know the chief is an ass,but it's not worth being murdered over.." Xala said,slightly solemnly.

"A friend of you two?" Grayson asked..

"A close one,yes. Since getting chief status we had to go about it professionally. Even then we were tight knit up until we needed to consider what to do with you."

"Sorry for getting in the way of...whatever that was." Grayson said as he led Xala to the village's small market.

"Dont apologize. It's not your fault. Never has,never will be." Xala said,"Besides,i wasn't going to just let you roam unprotected anyway,not with the Empress having put a bounty on your head."

"Gee this world is just loaded with good news for me,isn't it?" Grayson asked as he got closer to the target. She immediately saw Grayson,and his accomplice,quickly bolting from her stand-

Xala let go of Grayson as they chased her into the forest nearby. Grayson growls as he sped up his pace,beginning to build velocity and gain on the murderer-

He tackles her,right as they hit a hill. They rolled down that hill,blows sounding in the process,coming to rest with Grayson pinning her down. An oddly lovely smile spreads over her face.

"The fuck are you grinning for?" Grayson growls.

"Oh lovely pup,quick to go for violence but never thinking..."

Xala finally caught up.

"What if she's an Ender?"

With that the impostor vanishes.

"She's really good with vanishing acts ill give her that much.."

"So what now?" Xala asked.

Grayson got up and ran,all the way back to the stache,to find it has been emptied. "DAMN IT!!"

Xala put a hand on his shoulder.

"We cant stay. And you cant win every fight. Let's flee while we still can."

Grayson nods slightly.