DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games OAHE: Once upon an All Hallows Eve Missing Again!

Karl was just another boy. He went off into the woods to play just like other boys. Today was no different, except he hadn't come back. Shadow's Burdens were beginning to get worried, the two children had gone off to play together in the Blue Moon Woods. The family had come here for a day outing, picnic and wander through the trees. It was something they could all enjoy. But after two hours the little Karl was no where to be seen. His sister had left with him but returned about nap ago.

Shadow

This was a personal affront, A burden that was His getting itself lost somewhere that was not (yet) His. He'd have to give the superannuated kitten a nip not quite hard enough to break the skin at some point to remind it not to do that. He tested the air for the scent of His smallest burden: It couldn't have gotten too far.

His sensitive nose caught a whiff of the little boy and it lead deeper into the woods. The trail that the boy had left indicated he was wandering following something but what the tracks might have been were destroyed by the stomping child.

As Shadow follows the scent getting stronger by each bound he notes another smell, deeper, earthy like something that would live in the ground or in the woods. Something that the child had obviously been following.

From a tree branch Shadow is able to spot a clearing. In it were a half dozen stones arranged around a bunch of brightly colored rounded topped plants. Burdens might have called them toadstools.

Shadow spotted Karl in that circle laughing and chasing a dancing light.

Shadow

Oh, great. The damned Burden kitten had gotten distracted by one of those damnable moving light things that were nearly impossible to catch as they danced across the walls and floors. He knew full well the futility of that chase. He paced towards the rim of the circle, growling his profound displeasure.

Karl seemed oblivious to Shadow and his displeasure. He continued to run in circles and laugh.

Shadow

It wasn't on a shelf, but the principle was the same. He reached out a paw to one of the carefully arranged stones, and casually pushed it over.

The stone was in the ground much deeper than it seemed at first. Like the stone was either anchored to the ground by some magical force or it was bigger below than it is above. In fact Shadow's paw is turned away from the circle. It is a barrier that will be difficult for him to cross.

Shadow

Vexing. His tail lashed back and forth, and he chittered at the light inside the circle.

Mine. This one belongs to me. Harm him and I will claim this place as part of my territory.

The light slowed its dancing and in it Shadow could just make out a little humanoid figure with dragon fly wings. It waggled a finger at him like a Burden might if he had done something the Burden didn't seem to appreciate.

Shadow

He hissed and arched his back, making himself look big.

I am in no mood for japery. If you choose to oppose Me, bear in mind that there are no treaties between us, nothing that would impede Me from tearing out your wings and selectively removing parts of your limbs just to watch you try and crawl away. This one belongs to Me, and I lay claim to what is Mine. Do you choose to oppose Me?

The little creature stuck out its tongue like a snake, testing the air, or something else. Burdens do that too little ones like Karl. The little thing danced about in front of HIS Burden and kept Karl laughing. It may not have answered but the little Fae was clearly opposing Shadow.

Shadow

The barrier preventing him from entering could not be broken by physical force. However, He was a Shaper, master of his name and form, and where physical force was useless, metaphysical force was not. He began prowling around the circle widdershins, invoking mysteries know to few even amongst Felinekind...

I am the border between day and night, light and dark, inside and out. I call at the portal from without until it opens, then stay without, I call at the portal from within until it opens, then stay within. I embrace the darkness and call it to me to lend form, I turn my back on light, and forsake my depth. I speak my true name to the darkness, and we are one.

Picking the shadow of a stone which passed through the barrier, Shadow entered into it, and let his third dimension go elsewhere. Let's see how well this barrier stood against a form that could pass through the most infinitesimal of cracks, or against claws that could rend spirit or soul asunder...

Shadow's trick worked fantastically well. He slipped past the ward with no obvious sign. The little Fae was looking to him but was also busy running in circles to entertain Karl. For the moment he seemed to have lost sight of Shadow.

Shadow

Let it not be said that he was without mercy towards lesser beings. Was he not the very epitome of generosity?

Last chance, little flying prey. This circle could not keep me out, and cannot keep me in. I tell you a third and final time, he is MINE. You can lose him to me, or you can lose your extremities and then lose him to me. Choose.

Here the cat speaking in the form of a shadow did the creature's resolve in. It squeaked sound a bit like a squirrel before turning and dashing for the center of the stubby little plant growths. There it disappeared in a flash of light.

Karl followed towards the center of the circle.

Shadow

I resume My form, and reshape Myself afresh. From Darkness I step into light, from the shadows I come forth into radiance. I renounce the shade, and reclaim My full shape...

Changing again so soon was not something he preferred to do, but trying to interact with Burdens on a metaphysical level was an exercise in futility at the best of times. He sashayed out, aiming for the oversize kitten's legs with just enough pressure to inconvenience him, crossing and recrossing his path whilst repeatedly mewling the piercing phrase he'd tried so hard to ingrain into his burdens whenever they thought wrongly that doing something else was more important.

Pay attention to Me. Pay attention to Me. Pay attention to Me. Pay attention to Me. Pay attention to Me. Pay attention to Me...

Karl absentmindedly swatted at Shadow trying to get to where the little light had gone. Finally the cat was successful and caused the boy to bend over and scoop him up. Pushing his face into Shadow's fur he rubbed the cat back and forth. Mission was successful though the little boy was no longer looking for the little Fae.

Shadow

Fi-nally. That's the trouble with Burdens: They were obstreperous and exceedingly hard to train properly. Nonetheless, he allowed himself to be held by the young Burden, even deigning to purr the pleasing rumble of a reward phrase.

You have done something not stupid.

Now, it remained to be seen how much help he'd need getting back to the other Burdens, but a little bit of leading, and if need be, a little bit of teeth when they were in earshot, should do the trick.

[OOC: One would imagine that Shadow has something to report at the Parliament that is occurring in the Parliament of the New Moon thread... ]