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"Sniffing New Breeds" (Two-River) The sun beamed down on him, draining him of his energy, until he could walk no longer. He sat down on a nearby log and pondered what his next move was going to be, while drinking the last of his water. Surrounded by total open plains as far as the eye can see, greeted him with little comfort. He looked up at the sun and sighed. It was about noon now, and he had no more water and food. The only thought that raced through his mind was certain. How can he just leave without saying good-bye? The question pierced his brain, almost giving him a headache when he thought about it. Staring at a rock that he knew would never become exciting, he sat there, motionless, like his soul had not been in his body for some time. Why is fate throwing me all these obstacles? Did I really deserve this? He looked around him, but found nothing but lone trees and bush. Behind him he could see mountains, and in front was oblivious. Where the heck am I? Fox was my guide, and now I’m……… lost. He slowly got up, only to fall back down against the log in fatigue. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, cuffed his hands over his face. I’m dead. The sun continued to beam down on him. Like he displeased it. He could feel the beams getting warmer and warmer as the afternoon slowly passed over him. As time staggered around him, he sat there, idle to the world. The heat devoured him, and left his body in ruins. His skin crept open, and started to peel over his red skin. He tried to turn away, but to no avail. The sun was beaming down on him from straight above and he couldn’t run away. With his last bit on energy, he staggered to a small tree. Maybe this could provide me with… some shade. He immediately fell down and closed his eyes under the tree. " Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Bob’s eyes suddenly jumped open. He glanced around but found nothing. "Muu!" The sound came from his left. He swung his body, hoping to catch a glimpse of it, but there was nothing. " Mu mu mu mu!" The sound came from directly behind him. Bob paced himself. With a deep breath, he quickly shot around with his fists clenched, but again, there was nothing. There was silence. Time passed. Who or what made that sound was gone now, and having calmed down enough to relax, he leaned against the tree, but quickly his relaxation turned to discomfort as the sun continued to tread its toll. "MU!" Suddenly something fell on Bob’s stomach, which made him react in jumping to his feet with his beast rod in hand, in his fighting stance. But for some reason he had no will to fight this one. The small cute creature in front of him repelled him to do so. It looked to be like a squirrel, but a larger version of the regular. It had big blue eyes, and a cute little smile which seemed to never go away. Bob would have thought there had been nothing special about this rodent, but it wore a long blue cap, and that came into question. "Hello little guy. What are you doing here in the middle of nowhere?" Bob spoke to it like it was a newborn. "Muuu!" It giggled. "Whatcha doing? Why are you wearing a cape?" "Makumaku!!" he giggled as he pointed to himself. "Your name is Makumaku? Wow, are you a weird animal!" Bob laughed. "Mu!!" it giggled again as it held out its had to him. Having a gut feeling that this squirrel would do him no harm, Bob accepted the gesture, and grabbed its hand. Suddenly, they both lifted off the ground and started to fly low to the ground. "What kind of whacked out squirrel are you?!" Bob said in amazement. Makumaku giggled. They both breezed passed all the lone trees and bushes that inhabited the plains. The hot air suddenly turned to a cool breeze, and his body started to become refreshed. As he glided above the ground, the everlasting smile on Makumaku’s face only matched the gesture on Bob’s. "Where are you take me Makumaku?" he asked his new found friend. "Mu! Mu!" the rodent pointed ahead. Bob looked ahead and noticed a town in the mist of some trees. His eyes lit up. "Is this Two-River?!" Bob said with excitement surrounding his tone. " Muuuuu!" Makumaku nodded. "Mu mu!!" "Cool!!" Bob laughed, followed by the typical giggle of the squirrel. They both slowly slowed down, and Bob immediately fell to the ground face first. "Ouch!!" Bob got up, rubbing his head. He looked at the squirrel, who had the same grin on his face, and belted out laughing. Bob turned around and took a look at then entrance to the town. He smiled as he heard sounds of people laughing, arguing, and singing in the midst. He turned around to thank the little guy. "Thank you very……….. much?" Makumaku was gone. "Where did he go?!" Bob shrugged, and walked towards the entrance. "Thank you Makumaku, where ever you are…" The town was bright and outgoing as the voices he heard soon before. There we people everywhere. People conversing, some doing their laundry out in the nice sunny weather, and others watching the little kids playing around in the courtyard. But as he walked closer to the crowd. He noticed something different about them. They weren’t human at all! "What the?! First flying squirrels, and now…. Walking dogs?!" As he walked closer, the people around him stared at him like he was being judged. The children ran to their parents in fright, and they quickly protected their belongings. A young dogman walked up to him and gave him a big glare, like he had done something atrocious. The dogman, instead of trying to shake hands, something a human would do, he sniffed him. "Woah! What is going on!" Bob shouted with discomfort. The dogman continued to sniff him now, until he stopped completely and stared again. "He is okay!" the dogman yelled. With what it seemed like a snap of a finger, the towns people went back to their business, and the children continued to play. " Welcome to Two-River stranger. You’re in the Kobold District! We haven’t seen many humans since we had some disputes with dem over the years." "Disputes? What did we do wrong?" "They think the own the place!" "You mean, there are other humans here, too?" Bob asked. "You bet! And watch out for those Wingers! They’ll take your last potch if they wanted too! They are a scavenger bunch they are. Don’t care about anythin’ but themselves!" the Kobold told him. He then walked towards what was to be his wife, and his son. "Hmmm…" Bob walked out of the entrance of the Kobold District and entered the Winger District. He noticed at drastic change in scenery. Suddenly it went from cheerful voices and hut looking buildings to dead silence and straw looking teepees. As he walked along the bridges that served as walkways over some bubbling mud, he eyed his surrounding carefully, because like the Kobold said before, Wingers were scavengers. Suddenly a Winger flew past him so quickly that he could make out what it looked like. It sort of looked like a human, with wings? Finally, after keeping his guard for quite some time, he left the Winger District, and entered the Human District. Now here is where he can call home. The voices of cheer and happiness came back, but with a more lower tone than the Kobolds. He looked around and noticed that the humans lived in regular houses, but not as extravagant as the citizens of Greenhill. With all of the excitement about seeing another town for the first time, he forgot about his tremendous hunger and thirst, that he tried so hard to get rid of. His stomach growled so loud, that a nearby dog, ran away. "Uh.. I need to get some food." As he staggered towards what looked to be town center, and noticed an inn sign just ahead. He walked into it, and immediately was greeted with a loud argument. He slowly walked towards a table and sat down, eyeing the feud across the room. A nice looking lady walked up to him as soon as he sat. "What can I getcha sugar?" she asked him with a gentle sign of enthusiasm. "Can I just get maybe like a roast meal or something?" he remembered that Fox left him a fair amount of money. "Sure can sugar. I’ll be right back" she said as she walked away, sighing at the argument that seemed to have gotten louder. "No way you are the fastest!!" one man yelled. "I happen to be on of the fastest in the Toran Republic! I bet you can’t beat me!" said a well build man. "I bet I can beat you all! Even with one of you a foot away from the finishing line." The voice seemed to come from someone behind the gloating athlete. Bob couldn’t make out his image. " Yeah! It is a bet then!" They all walked out of the inn with steaming force, leaving their half eaten meals behind. Bob had to see this. His put his hunger aside again and quickly darted to the front door. "You don’t want this anymore sugar?" asked the waitress, with the roast dinner plated on her hand. "Yes, I’ll be back. I wanna see this!" he said with excitement. "Yeah, it is quite a sight to see. The elf alwaaaaaays wins." She smirked. Bob left the inn only to see the men huddling near a finishing line in which a boy held a stick with a white shirt on it. Bob glanced on the other side, and noticed a man with bright blue hair and blue clothing, standing there, yawning. "Flying squirrels, talking dogs, flying people with wings, and now an elf! What a day!" Bob laughed. "Alright elf! I’m ready!" the athlete walked up to the finishing line and took one step back. "I’m one foot away. Like you said!" he smiled with jerkiness. "Prepare to be beaten human." The elf smiled. The athlete’s buddies cheered him on. Bob got excited. The little boy held up his hand, and belted out in a high voice. "3……2…….1……GO!" Bob blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, the elf was past the finishing line before the athlete even moved! Bob’s jaw dropped. "What the heck?!" yelled the athlete. The crowd that gathered was speechless. Silence emerged. "Told you I’d win. Humans think they are the superior race all the time." The elf smirked. " This can’t be! I NEVER lose!!" the athlete shouted with anger. He turned to the elf and grabbed him by the shoulder. " You cheat! Now you will have to pay for cheating!" The athlete slammed his fist into the elf stomach so hard, the elf flew a few meters into some trees, in pain. Bob suddenly got anger and ran towards the group. The athlete and his buddies began to laugh at the fallen winner. "Hey! That wasn’t fair! He won and you are a sore loser!" Bob yelled. "What did you say to me?!" the athlete rushed towards Bob with his fists clenched, but he was quickly countered and was slammed by a beast rod. The athlete fell to the ground. His buddies got angry. "Come on! You all want to fight me? I bet you I will win too!" the Lycanthrope shouted with determination and certainty in his voice. "You shouldn’t gamble stranger." One of the buddies said. "Try me. Oh Rabid Fang Rune, lend me your power!" With the command of Bob’s voice, his rune light up with a bright brown flare. It surrounded him, ripping his skin apart for the fur coat that would soon surround. As the light diminished, Bob became his true self. " He is a beast! Run for your life!" the gang ran away, leaving their fallen friend behind. "Hey guys! Wait for me! WAIT FOR ME!!" screamed the athlete and he tailed his posse. Bob walked up to the fallen elf and reached out his hand. "Thank you for your help. I probably couldn’t hold them all off. I had a full stomach." Inside Bob smirked. Wow, another sickly over confident person. Reminds me of me. Bob smiled. "What’s so funny?" the elf asked without showing that he might be discovered as a smart alek. "What’s your name?" Bob wondered as he helped the elf up. "My name is Stallion! Niceta meetcha." "I’m Bob." As they both walked towards the inn, and listening to the elf yap about how fast he really can be, Bob couldn’t help to wonder how he was so fast. Could he be a Lycanthrope too? Could he be one of Leo’s subordinates? Looking at the elf gave him slight chills down his spine. He could not handle suspense. He had to know his story…
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