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The burden departed and the two cats could hear him moving to the stairs to keep a look out.

Shadow


The wiry ginger arched his back a little less: Having to end a Burden for knowing too much was a horrible, horrible responsibility, and the imminent need to do so receding lifted a weight from his mind.

Still, they had another duty to see to. Having severed this feeder from its wrong meal, they needed to see what happened next.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

Her head is turned in the direction of the footsteps as her burden takes his leave. She finds herself torn. She misses his presence but feels she has done the right thing to keep him safe.

Then she turns back to the room, her eyes watching every corner, her ears and senses straining for any change, however small.

The thing in the warded space continued to thrash, though to the cat's talented senses it seemed to be fading from this world.

The stairs were quiet. No one even seemed interested in going to the floor they were on. Interestingly enough, now that Jayden could see Grandpa, he noted there was a thin line on top of the stairs, he hadn't noticed before.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

"I think it is going."

She observes to Shadow.

"Do you think we should try something?"

Shadow

"Do you have a plan in mind?"

The tom watched the thing fade, the final fifth or so of his tail twitching.

"When this one is gone, we should see if there are more, make sure we get them all. I'm still not sure what the bigger plan is, or what hurt all the Burdens at once. We need to get to the meat of this."

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She sighs softly.

"No plan. I was just thinking that this one may fade only to return some place else but I'm not very knowledgeable about such things. Maybe the ward is killing it slowly? It doesn't seem very comfortable."

Her head tilts on one side as she watches the thing fading.

"I agree though that we need to see if there are more. At least we have an idea what to look for now. Just have to decide where to look. I think the evil magic cast on the young burden started all this, so maybe the answer lies in the woods?"

Shadow

The shaper paced around the ward and the thing within, looking intently for any trace that might have led outward from it rather than inward, towards some controller rather than from the Burdens it had been draining.

"I think it was made in order to do what it did. Now that it can't do that, it fades, withers, what we see here. The woods, maybe. Can you imagine a casting so powerful as to hurt all the burdens across so many territories? How could we not see it, feel it, sense it? Those it touched, some were Mine, some were your Mines, some were Mine to the rest of our parliament. If we can feel traces of it there, see a pattern, then that gives us something to work from."

It is possible that prior to the ward, that the thing might have been channeling the energy someplace. It was purely spirit, so more knowledge of that end of things would be useful to determine all that was going on.

Eventually the thing disappears with a audible pop.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She too checks for any remaining traces after the thing has 'popped' out of existence.

"It has gone." She declares deciding to leave her ward in place. And she looks around to see if the character of the area has also changed.

Shadow

Ever the hunter, as were they all, he trusted to his senses to seek out their quarry.

The area around them seemed not very different than when they had approached. At least the stolen energies were no longer being drawn into that thing.

For the rest though the hospital seemed to be going along as it had before. To Jayden there was little difference since he had come to this floor.

The cats could tell that their job had been accomplished. The most immediate threat countered. Though questions remained. The most prominent of the questions might be where to go next.

Jayden


Jayden looked around the floor and up and down the stairwell for about the thirteenth time and saw nothing more than he had the first few times. More or less nothing.

"So what am I supposed to do now, Grandpa?"

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

"Well nothing more to do here Shadow. Am I right in thinking that this is a narrow window of opportunity for the forces of darkness and therefore they will try to maximise their efforts? In which case we have to try and work out their next step.. or take the battle to the source. The only indication we have of either is the woods. Shall we head there?"

She looks to the more senior cat for guidance.

Shadow

"Harming so many Burdens at once is no small thing. Whoever did it sees a way to get more than was used up in the process. We tracked the burdens here, found they were drawing power, but we don't know what for or where. With the Burdens here, their territory is unguarded. Could be a part of it. Woods first, see if we can find our prey."

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

With a plan agreed, she makes sure she is visible and heads back into the corridor, pleased to see her burden still manning his post. She moves to him and rubs around his legs to refresh her scent marks.

Jayden


Jayden squatted, grunting as his left knee popped and scratched the little cat behind her ears.

"So you decided to return and see me, Dizzy?"

Shadow

As was usual, he regarded the burden with undisguised contempt.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

On the other hand, she is enjoying the attention, rubbing her head on his hand. And she is pleased that he has come to no harm. Still they must make a move in a moment..

Because it is a cat's will that runs the world, nothing disturbs this moment of affection.

Dizzy/Tiger-Lily

She can stand a lot of petting.. a lot! But there are things to be done, so a soft sigh and a full body stretch and she heads down the stairs, confident her burden will follow.

Jayden


Jayden stood back erect as the cat walked off, stretching slightly side to side to ease his back.

"You have something to show me, Dizzy?"

He followed the little feline down the stairs.

The hospital seemed just as busy as before, yet the burdens seemed less harried. People seemed to be more joyous as if maybe the crisis was alleviated just a little bit.

Nothing looked out of place to the cats nor Jayden, short of the occasional glimpses of his grandfather's spirit out of the corner of his eye.

Shadow

They had so little context for what was in place in this strange burden complex, but the emotional radiation from the creatures did suggest things were on the up. He took to the shadows once more to avoid the crowds, since whilst the Burden belonged to Tiger-lily thus needed to see her, it was best to minimise the risk of being spotted.

Dizzy/Tiger-Lily

She is feeling good. Valued by her burden who is showing real promise, her ward had stopped the evil that threatened the other burdens and the cats had a plan for the next phase.

It doesn't seem odd to her to be walking through this place, why should it to others?