Treter: Coming Around

We watched the Hunters
fled from our sights; straight towards the horizon where they had disappeared.
For just as they had, I suddenly turned towards my own team and exhaled a
breath while shaking my head. Muttering something underneath my own breath while
Wovan and Wivian acknowledged it, smiling only faintly upon their own snouts.
All before we turned our sudden attention towards the black dragon behind us
whom was just tilting her head to the side in long silent confusion upon us. At
my wave and shaking my own head, I take the lead from everyone and led them
down the dirty road ahead of us. Worried and anxious about the hunters and
their insanity of what they would be doing. 'But at least they would make this
trap a bit interesting and fun.' I thought to myself with a faint of a smile as
we resumed our way forward.

Things were silent upon
the plains. Northward of Reptile and Canine realm where nothing was there.
Except for the valleys and hillsides and almost everything such as the flowers,
weeds and some canines that were living onto here however. We glanced onto them
all while my eyes were staring forward to the horizon in front of me, listening
to the tranquility of the silence that had befallen upon our own heads. For
sometimes, this could be a bad thing. Considering that we are coyotes and
needed some sort of entertainment before we go tiring ourselves to sleep. I
guess it is why, we had needed the wolves. Or at least the Hunters to be our
entertainers for this job anyway.

As my thoughts ran off
through my own head, clearly had me not thinking about the things gand
nourishment that we had needed along the way through our travels, my ears
perked up upon the conversation that was behind me. Listening to my own coyote
pack held a conversation with the dragon behind us. Conversations topics such
as the canine and reptile realm's conflict, how was she living inside reptile,
where was she going. That kind of stuff however. And I am always finding myself
shaking my own head because of it: not because of my own pack firing off
endless amount of questions that would perhaps overwhelmed some canines and
reptiles, but to the bored coyotes as well. Just like that, before more
questions could be asked, I yelped onto them. Interrupting into the sudden
conversation and all was silent before long. We continued our way through the
valleys now; up and down each hillside while we shift our attention towards
both sides: gazing down onto the numerous sheeps and cattle that were there.
Alongside some chicks; three in particular were a bit interesting however.

But I only shake my own
head to get rid of that images from my own mind while my attention was drawn
back to the horizon in front of me and we had continued walking forward.
Currently up the fifth hillside we had gone through for the day; a record that
Wivina held to this day. Some of us groaned; I heard Whitti grounded his fangs
a bit, staring down onto Wivina who just smiled faintly onto him. But the held
staring was cut off for a bit when we started hearing something in the rather
distance. Thus turning our attention forward; clearly interested in whatever
was there. We had noticed a trail of meat in front of us. I blinked in rather
surprise; shifting my attention towards Wivina and Wovan who also blinked, but
remained silent at the moment's time. For the peace in silence trailed onward
before we started hearing something behind us. In addition to the sudden
growling noises from the dragon, also came some heavy footsteps that could be
mistaken for some earthquake of something along that line.

“Duck!" Screamed Whittit
while Wovan and Wivian suddenly turned towards him; before suddenly grabbing
onto his arm. Pulled him onto the side and threw themselves also. But as they
had landed onto the grounds too, one of the coyotes put a live swan onto Whittit's
head and tied it with an invisible rope so it stays put. However, I widened my
eyes while the dragon came suddenly close towards me. Thus onto the next
second, I felt something heavy struck against my body and flung me into the
air. Spinning a couple of times before coming down head first however. At the
same time, I felt very dizzy for some reason and lightheaded that I had started
seeing the entire world spinning upside down. Luckily for me it had stopped and
I came crashing down onto the hard solid grounds beneath me. The next thing I
heard was a couple of screams and the dragon behind us munching onto some meat.
I passed out seconds afterwards.

When I came through, I
moaned while opening my eyes. Lifting my ears from the step of my own skull;
then flickering them to the side, I listened to the soundless surrounding me. I
yawned once more before rising to my feet again and stretched my entire body.
Smacking my dry lips, I suddenly turned around to face my pack whom were
sitting down awaiting for me to aroused awakeness. For when they had noticed I
had came through, they smiled happily that Wovan and Wivian knocked me down
onto the hard grounds beneath me. Licking onto my face; before I shoved them
away angrily. They backed off seconds afterwards while I rose to my feet again
and we were on the move once more. Yet something was a bit off however. Not
that I had became aware of my own surroundings however. The first thing was the
pure darkened haze that was surrounding us; clouding our visions and preventing
us from seeing far I blinked for a couple more seconds and frowned. Suddenly
stopping while the others walked on ahead.

I lifted my eyes up into
the midnight skies; noticing the moon at its apex. The stars shining dimly
above me and the winds blowing calmly against my own fur. It was really cold
that I had started shivering for some reason; my eyes closed as I committed so
and I returned towards the horizon again, sprinting a few steps forth before I
had caught up towards my own packmates. Of which I had heard Whittit responded
to whomever was in front of him, “This seems wrong and a bit disgusting
however." “No kidding." Muttered Wovan to Whitti who just nodded his head at
him. I only blinked at them, wondering what they were conversation about. Yet
it was already too late when I had noticed that the wolf in front of us had
fled into the midnight darkness in front of us; fading from our sights while
more conversations were heard at the near distance. We chose to ignore it since
it was directed towards themselves than towards us and continued our way
forward.

We walked along the
silence of the darkness in front of us. Hearing nothing more than the own
ringing that was upon our own ears however. I only stared up front into the
horizon, a yawn escaped through my muzzle while the others just kept silent;
neither of them commenting about me nor the dragon while we continued and
looked. For the first few minutes, we only hear the ringing inside our own
ears; but we had ignored it anyway. As we walked, we noticed something was
ahead. Whittit was the first to noticed it however for a bright smile appear
upon his snout; everyone else followed through after him. Thus only the next
second, I started hearing sprintings and rushing forth that I suddenly turned
my attention towards them in surprise. Shortly before I raced after them too;
screaming at them. We fled across the roads; straight towards that something
that was in the distance. I had saw it immediately while chasing after them
that I was immediately surprise and awed upon how perfect the kingdom was
however.

The place or rather the
destination of where we were going was indeed Moon kingdom. There were a lot of
questions upon my own mind; Some of which had me returned my sights backwards
towards the black dragon that was there. Giggling to herself while she spread
her humongous wings to the side; lifting herself into the air and flew off
straight towards her. The others heard a loud flapped above them and raised
their heads into the horizontal skies, all having mixed responses and actions
to the dragon that was flying above us. I only laughed at them.

For when we had arrived
upon the kingdom, Whittit exclaimed with a proud chest outward from his own
body. Smirking or looking smug while the rest of them were just staring at him
with jealousy or something along of that line. I only watched them in silence;
shaking my head while the dragon landed a few inches away from our pack and
take a short walk forward to us. Speaking out while looking at us directly that
the other coyotes suddenly turned towards her, listening to her very carefully.
“This is the moon kingdom: The place were I am suppose to meet up with the
vampires and Zephyr." “Zephyr? That black dragon that had deserted the kingdom
long ago and came back again?" Commented Wovan which came as a nod from the
dragon herself. For a short nod addition came after while she turned her
attention towards the gates in front of us. Thus, with her paws; she magically
cast the two flaps of the gates away from her as a loud bang echoed through the
soundless of the night. Causing half of the pack to be startled while I and
Whitti suddenly flinched upon the sound.

But we all walked
forward; through the gates of the moon kingdom. Walking down the garden where
the flowers were purest of white and blackness, never gray or grey however.
Something that we were a bit surprise upon but never commenting or mentioned it
towards the dragon herself. As she led us through the garden, straight towards
the front door in front of us, we stand still in front of the door while she
grabbed onto the handle and pulled back. Whereas the door creaked and moaned
while it opened, we entered right inside.

We found ourselves in the
fields of silence; just staring ahead of us we had noticed that the darkness
had indeed invaded upon the first room of the kingdom. Nervous, many of us just
stayed at the front door while the dragon herself take a step forward, smiling
faintly towards herself completely ignoring us in general while I gave a sigh
and stepped inward too. Following me and the dragon came the coyotes; until the
last one entered was when the door shut loudly. Startling some of us, including
me as we all immediately turned around and look towards the door. The entire
first room was completely dark; we cannot see anything about. But was it
alright since we have the dragon with us however? I frowned before calling our
her; but heard nothing more than the chilling silence that was surrounding us.
Something that I frowned, flattening my ears and whimpered while Whittit take a
step forward and spoke to the rest of us. “I presumed that the dragon wanted us
to do something while we are here in the meantime." “Indeed" Spoke Wovan, “Does
anyone have that note upon their paw?" Questioned Wivian as a short
conversation of a mutter had came. But neither of us confesses they had it.

That was when, I felt
something brushing against my own paw. I blinked hanging my head to the grounds
beneath me and blinked rather suddenly. For I take a step backwards, grabbing
onto the note in my paw and lifted it high into the air. The sounds of whishing
and paper flying was echoed through the other coyotes as they had immediately
turned their attention towards me. I only faintly smiled onto them; catching
the piece of paper again with my paw and immediately turning it over, reading
whatever was on the paper itself.

“Hello and welcome new
contestants! Glad for you to be here all of the sudden and out of the blue as
well. While Ms. Zandra had the privilege of leading you all here into a sudden
trap of us-" “This is a trap?" Exclaimed Wovan, while everyone else ignored
him, “I assure to your all that we have no harm into inflicting injury and
broken bones. Nor had we thought about drinking blood. Remember we are vampires
after all." “Regardless…" Someone spoke out of the blue; something that we were
startled upon that we had immediately turned our attention towards whomever was
there. Towards our left; right where the kitchen light was purely opened and
well lit stands a vampire dragon. “Oh these guys." I spoke out of the blue,
recalling such dragon species from a certain book that I had read in the past.
“You do?" Blinked everyone, as their attention was drawn towards me. I only
smiled and nodded at them before taking a step forward. Raising my paw up
towards him, responding.

“You were once part of
the BloodMarks, ally of the Deadhowls and Deadeyes right? A demon/Vampire
dragon that now lives here in Moon kingdom?" “Right you are!" Exclaime the
dragon, smiling only faintly as he had just revealed his sharpen fangs before
closing them again and only shaking his own head before responding back,
“Regardless, you guys must be here for a game?" “No we were just leaving."
Commented Wovan while he and Wivina stepped backward and make a run for it
towards the front door; which somehow disappeared from their sights. The
vampire dragon just laughed at this and shake his head, responding towards us.
Mainly to the two others at the frontal doors, “Best of luck next time
however." “What game are you talking about anyway?" I questioned him, frowning
while the dragon immediately turned towards me and smiled once more.

But without even
explaining anything, even the rule set however. He just gave me an scale which
I accepted however. Although I was really confused for a moment as I turned my
attention to the scale of which I was holding in my paws. Once had handed it, he
immediately turned around and disappeared right into the kitchen where the
light breaks suddenly. Leaving behind a pure darkness which had invaded upon
the adjacent room. A pause for a moment while the rest of us just stared at one
another before looking back to the scale that I was holding in my paw. I even
held it up against my own face; staring at how beautiful the thing was however.
But I only shake my own head and growled, perhaps towards myself while I turned
immediately towards the others and spoke, “Split up. Maybe we could gather more
of these to get ourselves out of here."

A nod had spread across
the coyotes in front of me while they split themselves apart as intended. Wovan
fled to the kitchen behind me, Wivian headed down the hallway, me and  Whittit heads straight upstairs; each taking
our own hallway paths that were shrouded in darkness, preventing ourselves from
being able to see what was ahead and to what paths lead to where too. Upon
which I only frowned and shivered while the scale in my own fur glowed dimly
upon the night. As me and Whittit shared a glance momentarily, we only nodded
acknowledging our situation before we had immediately departed into the halls
in front of us.

“For what lies ahead?" I
muttered to myself as I walked through the hallways; keeping an eye to the
horizon in hopes of picking out that door that we had needed to get through.
There were pictures and frames everywhere upon the walls and ceiling surrounding
me. Even a brown drawer with a thin candle overtop of it; adjacent to it was a
piece of paper. But nothing was written onto it however. I ignored the drawer
for a moment and bypassed it again while lifting my eyes into the horizon.
Staring down onto the pure darkness that was ahead of me. Whereas I had noticed
something blinking in the distance that had me gulped, swallowing down anything
that was within my own throat as I listened to the vibrations and gurgling that
had came passed.

Sooner than I had
thought; I had already reached the end. A door stands in front of me; big and
wide as I had thought of however. No knob was upon which; but it was alright
since the door automatically opened on its own and the light shone brightly
from the space between the lock and the door itself which allowed me to see
whatever was there. My eyes widened when I had saw the brightest of light
shining onto my own face that I was unaware that I was walking forward.
Entering into this light which had swallowed me down. Temporarily blinding me
for the time's being however too.

When I came through, the
first thing I had noticed was the huge room surrounding me. It was similar to
the first room that we had entered through too that sometimes I had wonder if
it was just a coincidence or not. Shaking my head, I returned my sights to the
room that I was upon. Glancing around in hope of finding something there. Yet
everything was the same. A kitchen room was behind me. A set of stairs leading
into the second floor and another door onto the opposing side of where the
kitchen was at. I shift my attention towards that other door. I had saw no door
upon it; just an opened expose darkness that had welcomed me in, something that
I had immediately entered without even thinking or pondering about it however.

Thus, I blinked that to
myself and shake my own head; frowning as I continued forward. For my attention
was up front to the horizon in front of me; ignoring the things that were to my
sides. I continued until I stepped onto something underneath me that I
immediately take a step back and hanged my own head; gazing at the brown
flooring beneath me. For there; I had noticed a bunch of scales. All written
something of a number as I blinked for a moment, tilting my own head before
cutting my way forth through the numbers. The first was a seven; so I stepped
with my left foot. Stretching my right towards the opposing side of the line
that crossed the line overtop of it and make another step above the second
horizon line. Next was a three; so I stuck my paws together and jumped. Twice.
Over two curved lines and a point at the center of the three; Ending up upon
the other end very quickly and easy too.

The next two were six and
two. Once I had passed those, a thought had came upon my own mind. I had
wondered and pondered about these numbers and why were they here suddenly too
however. With more and more questions residing upon my own mind, the more that
I had started to frown and feel fear and anxiety for what seems to be perhaps
the first time in my own life. ButI only shake my head to clear my thoughts
away as my attention was drawn to the front; gazing down Whitti whom already
had several scales in his paw. I blinked at him, then immediately told the set
of numbers which he blinked at me suddenly and frowned; but shake his head as
he spoke, “I do not know what you are talking about. Neither can I hold onto
these any longer too." “Allow me" I responded, without hesitation nor gave him
an answer while he handed me half of them.

I had realized that they
were heavy in my paws. But that does not matter anyway as we walked along the
path at our right; leading straight towards a deadend that had await us.
Something blinked adjacent to us that we turned towards it suddenly. A set of words;
or a string of words had popped up 'running' across the LCD as if it was
running some sort of marathon. Whittit responded to me, “That is perhaps where
you should put in the code." “In there?" I questioned him, he only nodded at
me. I exhaled a breath and take a step forward; balancing my paw holding the
half scales with my other whom formed a pointer; pressing against the set of
ten buttons ranging from 'zero to nine'. I pressed the following buttons: seven
three six two. A bell rang and something opened. We blinked when we exchanged
glances, but neither of us said or commented anything as we just backtracked
along.