Frozen Sunset

"Ouch," she muttered. She stood and brushed the debris from her form. She sighed in relief. "Thank you!"
Raya glanced at the soldier and quickly agreed with Nicholas. "Let's go." She didn't really know the town, but it was easy to tell where you were going. In one direction there were a large amount of soldiers and in the other, well not so much. Guessing that the direction lacking in soldiers was the way they were headed, she proceeded to walk in that direction.

The brothers followed suit, sticking to their horses sides so that they were shielded from the suspicions of the soldiers who marched relentlessly through the crowds who had by now flooded the streets, once they were far enough, even the soldier that Nicholas had attacked could no longer see them, other horses and mules were already accompanying the locals on their daily routines, so the large equines of the twins were missed and they slipped out of the town quickly.
"What will we do for supplies?" Christian asked, knowing that they had not had the time to stop and restock.
"Don't worry...we've enough to last until we reach somewhere we can stop..." Nicholas glanced back, he could hear the soldiers even though he could not see them.

She looked at Nicholas skeptically. "We can actually stop somewhere?" Raya had expected to be constantly travelling without even a short five minute break. She sighed in relief, pushing the daunting thought from her head.
"I take it it's all me from here?" She asked, since she was going to be sneaking them into the Southern Kingdom.

Nicholas nodded and mounted his horse seconds after Christian had done the same.
"We'll be able to stop occasionally because most of the kingdom's forces will be elsewhere...trying to follow the orders of their queen, this half of the kingdom has few people of interest so not many soldiers will be on the lookout for awhile, besides, if and when we stop, it will be brief..."
"...So! Lead the way Raya" Christian cheered, feeling the readiness of both horses, they'd been stood still far too long.

"Firstly, is it safe to change?" She looked around, searching for people. She couldn't see any but if they were that determined to eradicate poeple like her, they couldn't be far off.
She took a few short steps before stopping again, to turn and look at the males. She pressed for an answer. "Well?"

Nicholas was staring out at nothing, so unresponsive was he that his horse felt uncomfortable and began pawing at the ground nervously. He spoke calmly when he finally moved his lips.
"We're safe for now, the order has only just been given, it won't have reached everywhere yet...the forests are our best chance for now...lead the way, no one will see you change" For a moment he reached around under his cloak, shifting his own weaponry so that he could reach it at a seconds notice although from what Christian could see it looked more like he was dressing himself without removing the cloak.

"You will," she smiled. Raya swiftly took their cloaks and shifted them so they concealed their eyes. Undressing quickly, she placed her clothes on the animal and stepped back. Her whole body began to vibrate and ripples were sent through her skin. Her hair retracted and her nails curved into claws. Fingers were replaced with paws and her whole body began to sprout snow white hair. Within seconds she was a fully grown bear. She grunted and plodded over the ground, looking back to see if the males were following.

Nicholas took a moment to tuck her clothes away with the rest of their belongings, both his and Nicholas' mounts were already tugging fiercely on the reigns, already they could feel the tension building in their legs, while they were weary of the bear girl's teeth and claws, they were silently challenging her, they wanted to race and the only thing stopping them was the hands of their riders.
"Alright, let’s go" Nicholas said, shaking off the excited feeling of surprise he had stumbled across when the familiarity of the girl became a bear once more.
"You brought food though, right? You know riding makes me hungry!"
"...There's food in your bag, move" Without waiting he pushed Arianwen onward and fought to keep her from galloping away. But there was a mischievous glint that failed to take the journey seriously.

Raya grunted, encouraging the animals, her eyes alight with a smile. It's been so long since I've been challenged. A thrill rushed through her wanting to accept the mounts challenge, aware of the riders trying to keep them under control.
Aw, let them free! She wished she could talk to the males while she was a bear, instead she could only think to herself.
Raya ran, knowing that Christian and Nicholas would be able to keep up. She headed towards one of the openings in the forest that surrounded the western gate of the town.

With a smirk Christian loosened the reins and leant into his mount squeezing with his heels until his mount raced forward in an outburst of released energy. Nicholas did the same but his mount was away. They could feel the pulsing leg muscles as they ran racing with the bear despite being asked to slow. The thundering of their cloven hooves became soft earthly thuds as cobbles turned into forest floor.
"God I love it when they run" Christian laughed to his brother, who remained silent though a smile could be seen under the hood of his cloak.

Raya snarled playfully and pushed herself, aware of the catching animals. She felt her muscles burn with excitement and gave out a laugh, which sounded more like a growl.
Ahh, the good days of our lives. She thought as she continued to travel in an easternly direction through the forest.
Sniffing lightly at the air, she picked up a scent not belonging to the forest or animal as such. No, this was different.
Skidding to a halt, she looked left, then right and then left again. Growling, she listened to the careful thud of feet on the forest floor.
A male sprang from the trees, a flash of silver catching Raya's eyes but she didn't let that distract her. Pouncing upon the male, she growled lowly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.



(Sorry for the awful reply...I've had a lot on my mind lately and my skills, of what skills I had, have been hindered. Stupid males.)

Both equines ran on some before they even realised their compettition had stopped somewhere behind them, both of them quickly doubled back upon themselves until they stood in the comapny of the bear-girl again.
"The hell?" Christian hissed from under his hood, looking down at the figure hidden by the white mass that was Raya.
"The path looked clear!" He turned to Nicholas who remained silent, his hidden eyes searching the figure with caution.


(First post of 2011!!! And I know, Guys suck ¬¬)

Raya looked back at the two males, beckoning for them to take over for a moment. Waiting for the males to do so she dug in her claws, the male underneath wincing.
"Ouch, watch what you're doing!" He cried, wriggling beneath Raya's huge form. Raya snapped her gaze to him and she growled deeply. She wished she could talk the way she were, it would be much more convenient. Shut up! She'd say to him. Instead she was forced to portray her thoughts in growls and whines.
While Raya thought, the male struggled, fear in his eyes as he looked to the animals that stood beside the bear that topped him. "Th-those aren't horses, are they?" He asked, his voice shakey underneath the pressure of Raya.

(Another bad post -.- And woooop Happy New Year my dear. I know they do...)

Both Nicholas and Christian reluctantly dismounted and came to stand either side of their companion.
"Horses, yes, but you'd never find them if they didn't want to be found." Nicholas said, kneeling so that he could get a clear look of the male, though his own face remained hidden, just in case.
"Who are you?" His voice was low but he kept his hand hovering over a small blade, enough of a threat despite him having no intention of drawing it.

Raya, knowing the two could deal with him should he try anything, stood away from the male, disappearing behind a tree. Transforming back into a girl, she pulled on the cloth she used as clothing and emerged from behind it.
Taking a few steps, she looked down at the male that laid pitifully on the floor. A small laugh escaped her lips. "The question is, what exactly do we do with you?" Her tone was half playful, half serious.
The male backed away into a tree. "I swear, had I known you were a female I wouldn't have attacked. Please forgive me?" Raya laughed hysterically, crouching to be eye level with the male.
"All I ask, for now, is a name." Her tone became polite and the laughing stopped abruptly, although she still wanted to. He looked at Raya, then the others.
"Um, my name?" He hesitated before speaking out quietly. "Alec. My name's Alec."
A grin appeared on Raya's lips. "That wasn't so hard now was it?"

Christian removed his hood, able to survey the male with ease in the shadows of the thick forest.
"Now then, Alec, what would you be doing in this forest? Female or not you'd have to be mad to attack my friend here" Nicholas said, speaking in his usual calm voice, his hand moving away from the weapon at his side.
"Yeah, what the hell were you thinking? Any sane man would have fled for his life" Nicholas tilted his head up at his brother's comment, seeing it as a way of covering for himself on the night he himself had tried to escape the hungry bear.
"I'm afraid I must agree with Raya, we can't risk being followed...if you're an enemy to us then we have to get down to the subject of what to do with you..." It was Christian's turn to be surprised, he hadn't thought about what they might do in the case of facing a soldier, and this male looked somewhat unlike a soldier, would they really do anything to him?

Alec scrambled to his feet in panic. "I swear, I swear I wasn't going to do any harm...I was hungry that's all. And as you can imagine, bear meat doesn't come along very often." He had backed straight into the tree, so much so he was almost curled around it.
"You contradicted yourself you know. You weren't going to do any harm and yet you were ready to stab me. You may want to rethink your story," Raya stepped foward, "because it wouldn't take much for me, or my friends here, to kill you." Her lips curled into a cruel smile; it was obvious she was scaring the male.
"Seriously, I was just hungry, that's all." His voice shook with panic. "I really am sorry." His eyes moved from Raya to the equines to the males and back to Raya. "You have to believe me," he cried.
"It would be easier if you didn't contradict yourself, don't the two of you agree? What do you think we should do with him?" She turned to Nicholas and Christian, awaiting a reply.


(Gah, bad post :/)

Nicholas stared at him for a long time then shook his head.
"If it's food he needs then food we shall give him...we're hardly short of it. The worlds going mad, a starving man is hardly a surprise...told you bear meat was a delicacy" He turned and walked to his mount, her eyes hadn't left the male for a second but concern had left them. Nicholas dug into the pouches and pulled out one of the hide bound hunks of meat, relieving the horse of it's weight.
"It's not bear meat, but it's nutrients are just as high, and more of the organs are edible, deer meat, good meat." Christian folded his arms, not wanting to give away any of the meat that had tasted so good.
"I think we should let him eat, maybe then he'll be able to think properly, I doubt he could hunt let alone find anything to eat in this forest" Nicholas held the bound meat out to the male.
"Take it, Alec"

Alec looked about confused. "One moment you're interrogating me and next you're feeding me. What changed?" He laughed, silencing himself when Raya chucked him a cold glare.
"Don't think for a second we're finished 'interrogating' you. There's much we don't know and it's vital we know everything about you." Raya smiled. "Now eat."
Alec took the food in his hand, his expression suspicious. Taking a bite of the meat, he sank back into the tree smiling. "Thank you! It tastes great." He was much more relaxed now that he had food in his stomach and they weren't hell bent on killing him...he hoped.
Raya looked for a moment at Alec before laughing softly. When Alec looked questioningly at her she explained. "It reminds me so much of when I met the two of them," she gestured towards Nicholas and Christan, "only you haven't been sedated.." She trailed off, laughing again.
Alec cocked an eyebrow as he took another bite from the chunk of meat he had been given.

"Had we not sedated you it would have been a very short meeting indeed" Nicholas said, smiling under the veil of his hood as he returned to his saddle and shuffled through it so that both sides were even now that some of the meat had been removed from one side.
"There's plenty of time to interrogate him...but may I remind everyone that those soldiers are going to start searching the forests and we're not clear of their range just yet..." Christian said, stroking the muzzle of his horse, feeling the tension in his legs as he felt through the earth for miles around.
"You'll want to eat before we start another run for it though, right?" Nicholas responded, seeing the jealous glare that Christian shot Alec.
"Maybe...but we shouldn't be wasting time, or food for that matter.."

"Christian is right. We need to move." Raya looked around before her eyes setlled on Alec. "For now, you come with us. There are many questions we need to ask you. Is he on my back or one of yours?" She asked the males. Alec simply stood with a confused look to his face.
"We're not walking are we?" He asked, afraid to be on anyones back. Raya beamed at him.
"Well of course not! Why would we when we have the 'horses' and I can run?" She laughed. Alec felt his stomach churn at the thought of being bounced around on the back of an animal, a light sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Good point," he whispered. "So where we headed?"

"In time...the Southern Kingdom...right now, out of danger" Nicholas said, lifting himself onto his horse in his silently effortless manner.
"However, you may simply find yourself parting from us before we move on once we leave this place, I suppose whether you ride horse or bear you better decide quickly, none of us can afford patience"
"I'm not offering up my saddle" Christian complained, mounting as well, feeling damp at the base of his trousers.
"And we had to stop in mud…great" Already Nicholas sensed there was some negativity in his brother concerning the stranger, the interesting thing was why.

Raya threw a scolding look towards Christian. "It's okay Alec, you can ride on my back." She smiled and held up a hand. "No refusals." She wagged her finger and disappeared.
Alec groaned and sank to the floor, awaiting Raya's return. "Yeah, sure. I'll just hop on your back and ride you like a horse." He shook his head.
Raya returned in her bear form and settled herself on the floor, a smile upon her face. She grunted, gesturing to Alec. Alec sighed and relunctantly climed atop the bear. "Be careful. I don't like horses or riding on animals in general. I'm more of a walker." His stomach churned and Raya let out what she meant to be a laugh.
Alec looked over to Nicholas and grimaced. "Lead the way."

Before allowing the sentence to be finished, they were away, leaving only shallow muddy pools where their horses feet had been, the waterlogged soil slowly caving in on the vague footprints.
"How long before we stop?" Christian said, wordlessly so his brother could hear him, the reply was quiet, as if Nicholas was whispering even though they would not be heard.
"We can't stop in this forest, Alec may not be a threat but it was easy enough for him to sneak up on us, which means others might...I thought I made that clear" Nicholas seemed edgy, which was strange, stranger still, so was his mount, her head turning every few strides as she watched the scenery go by in it's silent way. They were looking for signs, and they were all around them, so was the smell of wood smoke though it was far away, any moment they could stumble upon the army, if they escaped they would surely find it difficult to stumble out again.
"Tread quietly" He called back, his voice carried back along the line of their party, but it was as if he hadn't spoken at all. At once both equines made softer sounds as they thundered along through the ground.

Alec and Raya made sure they kept their eyes sweeping their surroundings. Raya became much lighter on her paws, Alec greatful for the change. He attempted to keep his breathing quiet, finding the task more difficult than it should be, his stomach still churning violently. He found it even more difficult to suppress the urge to be sick over the side of Raya.
"Why are we being sure to be quiet?" Alec whispered, Raya's ears faintly picking up the sound. Alec then remembered she was unable to talk while in her bear form. "There are people searching for you, aren't there?" His voice was quiet but Raya bowed her head in response to his question.
Raya ears pricked as a twig snapped, her body becoming tense but not stopping. It was a relief when she realised that it was just a wandering doe and she let out a heavy sigh.