[center][h3][color=708090]Taran[/color],  [color=FF4040]Celosia[/color], and [color=39b54a]Matrim[/color] [/h3][/center]
[center]Guest Starring: .[color=f9ad81]TOD[/color]
[@Ellion] [@kitty] [@TheDoctor][/center] Collab

The calloused hand enclosed his own as Taran pulled the hunter to his feet. He didn’t seem like he wanted to end their lives, or he was just unaware of who they were.  “[color=708090]It’s fine[/color],” he said quickly. His eyes flashing towards the fog that was starting to cover the very ground they stood on. The alarm in the man’s voice was all the encouragement he needed to flee the scene like a bat out of hell. 

Watching the interaction, Celosia retracted the hand she had offered to Taran as he got up on his own. Her eyes fell on a moving shadow in the distance as it was decided that they needed to move again. For now, she’d stick with the hunter and Taran but if the hunter proved to be anymore dangerous she’d either have to kill him or leave. With quick steps, Celosia turned and ran, making sure the others were with her.

The boy seemed frightened enough and immediately took off, somehow forgetting he was holding onto Matrim’s hand and was now dragging him along. The hunter stumbled at first and almost tripped over a root, but was able to barely keep up behind. [color=39b54a]“Hold on, hold on!”[/color] He yelled out to the boy. [color=39b54a]“Let go of my damn hand, you’re gonna make us both fall over again!”[/color] Matrim himself tried to let go, but it was like the boy held him in a death grip.


Tod had been following the two witches, the hair on his back standing on his back as the fog came in the his nose twitched a few times as he sniffed the air. He knew the undead were close and coming closer. With this new hunter that came into the picture though, he couldn’t speak up like he normally could. He growled and whined nervously trying to figure out a way to warn them to get moving. Darting around their legs before they started to run. Following Celosia at first, looking back to see Taran and the man stumble. The man starting to yell at Taran, which only angered Tod. 

He darted backwards and ran up Tarans back stopping on his shoulder and growling at the hunter. Quickly glancing at Taran and saying telepathically.[color=f9ad81][i] “ We have to move Taran. The undead are getting too close” [/i][/color]

The hunter’s irritated voice startled the wizard, causing him to lose his footing. He dropped the hunters hand, using his good arm to catch himself on a nearby tree. “[color=708090]S-Sorry[/color],” he gasped, the words struggling to come out. He left out a hiss of pain as the claws of the fox dug into his back. The weight of the creature sending sparks of agony down his arm. [i][color=708090]What do you think I’m trying to do[/color][/i] he hissed mentally. 

Hearing a minor commotion and talking behind her, Celosia came to a stop and turned around. She saw the two men talking to each other, Taran leaning on a tree with the fox on his shoulder. She rolled her eyes as she took a step towards them, [color=FF4040][b]“We need to keep moving, we are still withi-”[/b][/color] Celosia stopped talking as she saw a zombie coming up behind the two. 

Rushing forwards and pushing past them, Celosia punched the zombie square in the right side of the jaw. The zombie stumbled backwards before regaining balance and beginning to move towards them again. [color=FF4040][b]“We need to move.”[/b][/color] She growled out.

Matrim had to regain his balance as the boy released his hand and tried to recover his breath. He heard the strangest noise come from the boy, and looked over to see a fox on his shoulder. The hunter raised an eyebrow, but was then distracted by the girl who punched a zombie that was nearing them. It seemed effective enough, but unfortunately the zombie rose again to follow once more. [color=39b54a]“If only punching others in the face solved everything…”[/color] he muttered wistfully, then stepped forward to clock the zombie in the neck with his quarterstaff. The zombie fell over again, and Matrim finished it off by stomping it in the head. He could see more undead emerging from the fog, catching up to the group. If they got out of the fog, would these undead continue to follow? [color=39b54a]“Yeah, let’s move,”[/color] he said, turning to run.

Chunks of the zombie scattered across the grass as Mat stomped down on its face. All evidence of the human the creature used to be destroyed.  And more filtered through the fog. Some little more than skeletal bones with scraps of skin hanging from their arms, like sleeves.  Others looked as though they were normal humans, lost in the same fog.  Save for their eyes, the blank milky look being a shared trait for all the creatures that still had eyes. 

The hunter spoke the unneeded words of moving on. Taran grabbed the fox and tucked under his arm, chasing after the witch and hunter.  

The goans of the dead followed them through the trees, never gaining ground but never stopping either.  Suddenly the sound of birds and the light of the day crashed through the canopy, halting the fog in its steps. The mist crashing into an invisible wall, building up and then fading away, taking the monsters back to whatever hell they crawl out from. 

Taran dropped the fox, his body still tense, ready to feel at the first sign of danger. “[color=708090]I...I think they are...I don’t think they can go this far?[/color]” He said, his voice still coming out in pained gasps. 

Finally slowing down and coming to a stop, Celosia turned to look at where the fog seemed to stop before looking up to the sky noticing time was running out for her being out and about. She then looked to Taran and the other man. Now the hunter was the main threat, he may have helped them get out of the fog, though they would have managed on their own just fine. But it didn’t matter, not when he was someone who killed people like them for a living. Walking to Taran’s side, she looked to the hunter one more time before looking to him. [color=FF4040][b]“We need to go.”[/b][/color] She said under her breath. Her instincts were on high alert. Wanting her to run now or attack first.

Matrim breathed heavily as he looked behind them, eyes scanning over the mist. The boy seemed to be correct, the zombies weren’t following them outside. [color=39b54a]“Maybe, but I don’t think it’s worth the risk to stick around for too long.”[/color] He turned and looked over the forest, and a new question surfaced. [color=39b54a]“Where the hell are we?”[/color] His eyes glanced back over at the fox. [color=39b54a]“Also, is that your pet or something?”[/color] He asked, pointing to the fox, to which the fox tilted his head in confusion, his tongue sticking out awkwardly to the side. The hunter had seen people with strange pets before, especially other hunters, but this one seemed...odd.

The sky was darkening quickly now, the shadows reaching their longest point. A tiny sliver of a crest moon rose in the sky.  Taran gave a look of confusion towards the urgency  in Celosia voice. The danger was gone now, as long that they could lose the hunter quickly, all would be fine. But just bolting now...that would certainly inspire suspicion. 

“[color=708090]Uh,[/color]” Said Taran, glancing down at the fox at his as the fox looked up at him. “[color=708090]No, he isn’t my pet[/color],” He muttered. “[color=708090]He’s just...followed us[/color],”  This area of the woods was unfamiliar, but the mountain he used to guide himself home was near enough. And the land of hunters was always in the opposite way. 

“[color=708090]Thank you, thought for helping us...but it is time we...left,[/color]” Taran muttered. “[color=708090]If you head that way, a village will come along soon enough,[/color]”  He didn’t move yet, longing to see the hunter on his way first. 

Matrim looked between the two once more. He thought again to why they were in the forest, where the fox came from, and why the girl was suddenly concerned over something and taking glances at him. They were no longer in danger from the undead, now [i]he[/i] was the danger. The two physically looked like humans, but they were really wi- 

[color=39b54a][i]NO! NOT AGAIN! Do NOT think the word.[/i][/color]

Matrim’s eyes stared out ahead, and turned to walk away. It took so much to not stop, to not turn and attack. He had helped the things he was meant to kill. [color=39b54a][i]Stay in control, look forward. You can’t be sure...you can’t be sure…[/i][/color] He didn’t care last time though did he? He wouldn’t give in, not again. Not again.