Johnathan awoke before the dawns first light could be seen. His eyes shifted to his side to see Cynn laying beside him. The feel of her thigh resting over one of his legs was soft and inviting. Her curves caused Johnathan to sigh a little as he sat up. He knew the danger she posed even asleep. A fate worst then death for anyone who would take advantage of her while she slept. A perfect weapon for this hellish world. He softly brushed some of her hair from her face and slid to the side of the bed. Standing into a stretch with his arms over his head Johnathan moved to the wash basin and freshened up before donning his clothes. He made sure she was asleep before moving down the hallway to the stairs and the smell of food.

The cooks were preparing food for the staff before the tavern opened for the day. A few coins to one of the cooks and he was offered a plate. Sitting at the table in the corner Johnathan started to eat. He listened to the staff and the stories they told as a rule it was always good to listen to gossip. He learned this was the best way to network without having to use money. A piece of information or personal insight opened just as many doors as gold.

Soon the sun was up and one by one the rest of the group came down the stairs. First was Orson. He was always welcome. Johnathan liked Orson both as a comrade and a combatant. Johnathan watch Orson sit to his left more to keep his back to the same wall. Next was Cassidy, She was smiling and moved softly across the room. She sat across from the two.

"Morning!" Cassidy said cheerfully. Her eyes more in the direction of Orson then Johnathan. "Did you talk to the guild?"

Johnathan nodded and smiled back at Cassidy. "I did. I'll let everyone know at the meet just outside the walls. For now I'll wait saying more." 

Cassidy kept smiling and waved at one of the waitresses to order. "Hi! Ill have some eggs and ham with some water. If you have any fruit, I'll take a small bowl as well." The waitress nodded while turning on her heel to get the order in. Cassidy had a bright smile today as most days. Her fur was reddish and soft too bad few had the experience of its textile pleasure. Her tail barely moved behind her. As her ears darted front and back listening to the events around her.

Next was Cynn as she came down the stairs most of patrons that had come to the tavern to eat stopped and looked at her. She wore very low cut top with slits in her skirt. Her ashen skin smooth, inviting, and showing even more of it the normal. Cynn's smile was that of a serpent inviting prey. She sat next to Johnathan opposite Orson. Her hand on his thigh. Cynn kissed Johnathan on his cheek. "Morning." She said with a soft honey coated tone. Cynn's eyes connected with a waitress that was lost in her own fantasy blushing softly making her stand out to Cynn. With a wink and a nod the fantasy ended. Every step she took toward Cynn making the waitress's heart beat quicken. Her hands nervously fidgeted with her apron as she stood in front of Cynn. Speechless Cynn smiled and leaned forward as she spoke. "I want your wine and your tenderest cut of ham with some fresh bread." Cynn knew how to use her body and her voice in ways that made others feel deliciously naked before her. The waitress nearly in a trance headed to the kitchen with a smitten smile all over her face. Cynn turned back to the group around the table and squeezed Johnathan's thigh. The food came and they ate together each with there own thoughts on how the course of the day would go. Cynn tried to flirt a little with Orson only to get a disapproving reaction from Cassidy. Cynn knew Cassidy's true feelings. It was so obvious to her even if the others didn't see it. How Cassidy would walk so close to Orson. Even at breakfast Cassidy offered some fruit to him. How she smiles when their eyes met. Cassidy's shyness and her body language gave her true feelings away. Of course Cynn did everything she could to get between them. Cynn's ability to cast off any concern for modesty made her more challenging for Cassidy. If only Orson wasn't the cursed one. Cynn found Orson a waste of her talents. He was cursed and as far as Cynn could tell a emotionless statue.  

After breakfast the group gathered their gear and headed out. Past the city walls they met up with Max and Elissa. They stood while waiting for the new member Johnathan recruited. The sound of an army walking as they looked on to the city they saw the crowd. Nearly two thirds of the city walked behind her as she stepped to the cities main gate they stopped ans watched her leave. She was dressed in white and had a small pouch hanging off her hip. In her hands was a metal staff. Brass and steel marked with runes it was about six feet in length. Among the group she stood out. As if there was an inner light radiating from within her. The crowd behind her some weeping some praying a soft protection chant. She turned to wave at the crowd then turned toward the group. "Hi! I'm Lissa." Her tone sweet and soft. Her smile warmed even Cynn. Cynn could feel the girls cheerfulness, it was enough to make her eyes narrow in disgust. 

Johnathan felt the animosity from Cynn and clapped his hands together once. Bringing the attention to him, "Everyone this is Lissa, she will be vital to the quest. We have to find map to an abandoned mine where our treasure awaits. However, the map is in a cursed location full of  stuff that only she can defeat." Locking eyes with Cynn, "We [i]need[/i] her." Cynn rolled her eyes. 

Max snorted and waved at Lissa. His ears moved to the front as his tail swished in approval. Elissa dove off Max's shoulder, swooping up she flew to Lissa. "Nice to meet you Lissa." In the air Elissa hovered like a humming bird before the priestess. She made a small curtsy in good form. Elissa returned the curtsy in kind. As a druid of Obihai she was a subject to Ra. Without him most stuff would die and the world would be plunged into darkness once more. To be in the priestesses presence was a good omen. 

The cart pulled by Max rolled away from the city as the group traveled toward the cursed sunken castle. Johnathan sat next to Cynn with, Orson, Elissa, and Lissa. Cassidy walked beside Max. Occasionally looking back at Orson. The group rolled onward as the sun rose in the sky. They traveled though the farm lands, rolling hill sides and finally to the edge of the deep woods that surrounded the marsh lands. The wagon rolled to a stop.

Stopping to let Max rest and stretch their legs. Elissa stood arms out from her side. Face tilted up to the sun as she whispered praise to Ra. Johnathan was checking inventory of his gear afterward played a soft tune on his guitar. Cynn stretched out on the wagons empty bench. Elissa looked around and became sad. She flew over to the edge of the woods. Looking at one of the less rotted trees she pressed her ear to the side of one of the trees. Only to hear the trees tale of despair. How the rot spread from the stone structure into the soil itself. Spreading throughout the forest. Her concentration broke from a crossbow bolt slammed into the wood sending splinters into her hair and face. She dropped to the ground. Max snorted standing Halberd in hand he looked to the tree line. They were there in the tree tops, he could smell them. Cynn sat up only to roll into the wagons cargo area. Johnathan stopped peeing on a tree and rolled behind another. Johnathan readjusted his trousers and began to ready his crossbow. Lissa feeling the hostility broke her prayer and saw Max on the offensive. She realized that she was out in the open . She placed the staff in front of her. It stood on its own while Lissa clasped her hands together and chanted a protection spell. Orson sat in the back of the wagon trying hard not to notice the situation. He sat appearing calm but trying desperately not to touch the pummel of his sword. his fists resting on the top of his thighs.

A male voice from the tree tops shouted. "Your going to drop your gear and abandon the wagon or die!" The only reply at first was a snort from Max before rushing into the tree line. The sound of a strike and the fall of a tree. Bolts flew to different marks. A few striking the tree Johnathan was hiding behind. Johnathan thought, no one was this bad a shot obviously without a target these fools wanted to scare him off. "Like hell!" Johnathan shouted back. Johnathan was able to fire a bolt into a leg slowing one of the bandits down. As the second bolt struck the same bandit to the chest, finishing him off. "Elissa your up!" 

Placing her hand on the exposed root of a tree Elissa whispered softly. Her druid dialect asking for aid. Soon a breeze whipped through the canopy. Elissa still flat against the ground, beneath the tall grass as she smiled. The bandits found the branches they had stood on in the canopy began betraying them. Moving like arms dropping the bandits to the ground. Munh to the delight of the waiting anthro warrior. The grass helping the group whipped up and slowed every step the bandits took.

 Max rushed to them unhindered and taking a few bolts to his boiled leather chest plate while he rushed to them. Raising his halberd, Max dropped the blade cleaving into the first bandit. He was still alive but unconscious from the anthro's powerful strike and blood loss. Max took another bolt from the back. The bull spun around and snorted again.  

Cassidy used her training to leap into the fray jumping from the ground to the side of a tree. She used the momentum to executed a flying kick into one of the thugs. Her bare feet felt the cracking of ribs as the kick drove him to the ground. Cassidy crouched down punching the bandit in the face breaking his nose . He was alive but out. She looked for her next opponent. 

Cynn wasn't about to go into the woods. She waited for the bandits running away from Max to run into the open.The first bandit to emerge from the tree line saw her. Cynn smiled and winked before bolts of acid flew from her hands and struck him burning his armor and the flesh beneath. He fired back at the sorceress his bolt striking her in the shoulder. Cynn hissed at him. Then fear struck her. The rush of wind by her side signaled the worst had come. "Orson is free!" Cynn shouted at the top of her lungs. She saw him high in the air sword drawn and the eyes of a soul in pain. The group shuddered in fear as the words brought the images of the last time Orson was drawn into combat. 

"Shit." Johnathan had hoped this wasn't going to take that long. Now things were worse. He dropped his weapon and laid flat on the ground. Max had three on him so he wasn't going to drop his weapon just yet. Fear coursed through Elissa's body She had to find him before Orson killed everyone. Orson dropped from his leap off the wagon and drove his blade into the neck of the thug. pushing the bandit to the ground crushing his body into the ground with a sound resembling thunder. Killing the raider instantly. Seeing the crushed corpse of their comrade the bandits turned their focus to the warrior. Orson rushed deeper into the tree line toward the fray. Cassidy dropped to the ground flat face down. She had seen Orsons curse only once before and the fear drove her to the ground faster then gravity. The thugs still fighting the grass and Max were now seeing their opponents surrendering but they knew it was not their combat prowess that was the cause. 

Before them Orson stood. Surrounded in a thin smoke that rose from his very skin. His eyes became solid black while every vein in his body stood out. He rushed forward with inhuman speed, taking a bolt to his lower abdomen. His blade lashed out cutting a bandit in two. Blood sprayed the ground as the top half of the bandit fell away from his waist. Orson turned his head to the others. His teeth gritted as he snarled. The bandits now tried to run for their lives. Screams, "Demon!" came from the forest as Cynn almost felt sorry for what they now faced. Elissa flew high into the canopy and followed the screams and sound of combat. She was now the bandits only hope.

Spotting Orson as he cleaved through the thugs blade and into his skull in a downward swing. Orsone drove his blade further down splitting the guy nearly in half. A bolt flew by Orsons face and a second struck him in the back. "Kill..." Orson growled. He leaped into the air and slaughtered another thug in a single slash. The force of the strike sent a gout of blood into the air. As he searched for more Elissa dove downward and began to whisper into Orsons ear. The soothing spell worked combined with his wounds Orson fell to the floor asleep. The few remaining bandits fled. Elissa kissed the ridge of Orsons ear and began to pull the bolts from his body. She whispered into the wind a message for Lissa to come heal him. Max walked in pain toward Elissa. He was in need of a healing as well. He snorted glad Orson was asleep.