Skipping along the streets of Lomedor, Sen was grinning ear to ear. He had recently become, you might say, "sane". Formerly twisted and evil, the half core was now filled with the desire to help people. Desperate to do anything for anyone, he was ready to show how good he could be. The feathers in Sen's hat bounced as the cool evening air of Lomedor rushed by him.

Coming upon a busy part of the city where wares were being sold, Sen saw his chance. Colorful tents lined the streets, equipped with an impressive variety of items. Pottery was being sold over there...swords were being sold over there...etc...Making his way past all the hubbub, the half core reached a particular end of the market where there weren't as many buyers roaming the cobblestone streets. While he was wondering why this might be, Sen saw a man behind a counter looking around dejectedly. The man was wearing a brown jacket with a small brimmed hat.

Recognizing a chance to help those in deed, Sen headed on over to where the seller stood behind his counter. Removing his feathered hat and sweeping into a bow, he introduced himself. “My name is Sen Dumina at your service. You appear distressed. Is there any good deed I can do for you?”
The man looked up suspiciously at first then a sly grin snuck up on his face. “Yes, there is actually. My business isn’t doing very well as you can see. No one wants to buy these gems,” he gestured to his wares sadly. “And I must return home because it’s my wife’s birthday. But I need the money to get her the hat she always wanted! Do you think we could switch hats, because yours looks exactly like the one she pointed out to me in the store the other day!”

Sen was taken aback and glanced sadly at his hat. He was very fond of it because he thought it made him look rather dashing. But, alas, good deeds sometimes mean sacrificing certain things so he handed his head adornment over. In return the salesman handed over his own stiff, uncomfortable, unfeathered hat, but Sen set it on his head with pride anyway. “Have no fear, sir! I will even run your business for you while you give my hat to your wife! That way, the money will be waiting for you when you return!”

Absolutely overjoyed, the salesman shook Sen’s hand vigorously. “Thank you, sir! You’ve saved my life. I’ll never forget you! Here, take my coat too, it’s a bit chilly,” the man said, putting his jacket on Sen’s shoulders before promptly running away.

Beaming with pleasure at his good deed, Sen proudly wore the jacket and called out in a singsong voice, “Gems! Come get your gems! The best of the…gems...We have..." he glanced down at the counter. "Blue gems, red gems, purple gems...some kind of mix between purple and blue gems!"

Just then, a voice was heard over the commotion of the market. “That one! That one selling the gems! My gems! He was wearing that jacket and that hat! He's a theif! Get him!” Soldiers bearing swords and shields ran over to Sen. “Customers!” the half core exclaimed with a grin. “Thank goodness! Would you like to buy some ge-“ He was promptly tackled to the ground. “You’re under arrest for stealing this poor man’s gems. Valuable gems, I might add.” Sen laughed good-naturedly. “Sirs, these are not mine. Some other man asked me to sell them for him.” However, the soldiers weren’t listening. They began to drag the struggling assassin off toward city hall. “Wait! I’m innocent! This is a mistake! Someone help! HEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPP!”

Rowan walked among the stores of Lomedor, she watched wide eyed as the different vendors cried out their wears. Some beconed her to buy their items, such as a dress or makeup. Some even offered to swap for her necklace, all of which she shook off refusing. Tykell her mischifous wolf walked calmly beside her checking out the different animals that some vendors were offering as pets to small children. She laughed as children surrounded Tykell wanting to pet him, which he allowed. The vendors smiled and laughed as the Aelfie walked while children ran up to her and some parents pulled their children away telling them it was time to go.

She continued on to a quieter part, a slight chill was felt seeing as how the weather was recently. She turned and watched a man talk to a vendor, they first swapped hats then after a seemingly gratefull thanks one of the men ran off a few steps ran back put his coat on the other man and run off. She smiled at the fact that there were people in this world who helped others. Tykell butted her hand and she rubbed him behind the ears. He nuddged her bow in a playful attempt to get it off of its place on her back. She was about to say something when she heard a cry for help. “Wait! I’m innocent! This is a mistake! Someone help! HEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPP!” he cried.

Rowan ran over to the man. "Wait! what is going on? Why are you arresting this man?" she said trying to shake the guards off of him. "He is a theif he stole this man's gems and now he will pay the consiquences" Rowan tried to stop them, "He is not the vendor! He gave the hat he used to be wearing so the vendor could give it to his wife as a present! He is just trying to help. I saw it with my own eyes." she said. Tykell picked up the hat the man who was being arrested had dropped. She took it and stood in the way of the guards trying to stop them and pleading for the mans freedom as a witness to the truth.

The guards paused momentarily at the woman’s words. Sen, who was a bit surprised himself, stopped struggling for a moment. Then, old habits kicked in. Habits from his assassin days. On reflex, Sen twisted the soldier’s arm that was restraining him and as a result, the guard released him with a grunt. Then Sen did something that innocent people should never do. He ran. His boots hitting the stones hard as he tore through the market, the half core collided with stalls and knocked people over in the process.

The soldiers cried out in anger. “Well, if he really was innocent, he wouldn’t be running. Now he’s disturbing the peace too! Get him!” Shoving past the woman, the soldiers followed Sen’s path of destruction through the market, intent on catching him.

“I just want my hat back,” Sen called over his shoulder, running in the direction that the man he had thought was selling gems had gone.

Raven walked through the streets of Lomedor, Aegis by her side. The white wolf walked beside her, looking around for anything that might be remotely dangerous.

"Stop that," she said to the wolf.

The wolf walked back to her side, looking up at her. Raven sighed, patting the wolf's head.

"You don't need to worry so much," she said.

Suddenly, a cry rang through the streets.

“Wait! I’m innocent! This is a mistake! Someone help! HEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPP!”

Raven looked around, seeing a man getting dragged off by some guards. A woman walked up to them, explaining the situation. Apparently, the man had been tricked by another who was a thief. Suddenly, the man twisted the soldier's arm and took off at a run. Raven stared, momentarily taken aback.

Snapping back to her senses, the shapeshifter transformed into an eagle and flew off, following the man. The wolf took off at a run, following her. Raven flew down in front of the man and transformed back to her original self. She grabbed him by the arm.

"Come on," she said, pulling him into an alley. She could hear the footsteps of the guards coming.

"Now," she muttered, "Let's see if I still know that illusion spell."

Raven casted the illusion spell, making an illusion of the man on top of a roof and running in the opposite direction.

"There he is!" cried the guards, following him. The illusion disappeared once it was out of sight of the guards. The rest of the guards continued running towards where they had seen it last.

The Atani let out a sigh of relief, turning to the man.

"Now," she said, "Tell me, what exactly happened."

Rowan stood in the way hoping that she could win the man's freedom but suddenly she saw the man twist the arm of the soldier who restrained him and then got up and broke into a run. Well, if he really was innocent, he wouldn’t be running. Now he’s disturbing the peace too! Get him!” Shouted the guard pushing Rowan out of the way. She almost toppled but watched as the guards ran after him. She bolted along with Tykell at her heels. “I just want my hat back” the man called over his shoulder

The guards paused for a moment and she stopped. They had lost sight of the man as did Rowan. Suddenly one of them pointed. "There he is!" they shouted, Rowan was about to protest but something had Tykell's attention. She turned and followed him. He had been smelling out the innocent man's trail. The Aelfie watched as the timber wolf led her to an alley where a woman had pulled him to. "Tell me, what exactly happened."

"All I know is he swapped hats with the vendor of a gem store and then the vendor gave him his coat because it was chilly out and ran off to go to his wife. But I do not need to be an officer of the law to know that guy was most likely the true theif." she said and then noticed the wolf the woman had. "And I bet I know how we could find him!" she said struck with insperation. She looked at her hand which still held the hat of the theving vendor.

Raven turned around as a woman approached them. The shapeshifter examined the woman, curious. She was also carrying a bow and appeared to have a wolf as a familiar as well--except her wolf was a timber wolf while Aegis was white.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of running. She turned, seeing her own familiar running over to her. Aegis sniffed out the woman before turning his attention to the wolf. He examined the other wolf with interest.

"All I know is he swapped hats with the vendor of a gem store and then the vendor gave him his coat because it was chilly out and ran off to go to his wife. But I do not need to be an officer of the law to know that guy was most likely the true theif." said the woman.

Raven watched as the woman turned to Aegis, examining him curiously.

"And I bet I know how we could find him!" she said.

"How?" asked Raven, interested. She wanted to know how this woman planned to find the true thief. Her eyes drifted for a moment to the two wolves.

"Does it, by any chance, involve our familiars?" she asked. She could pretty much guess what the other woman had in mind.

Sen was rather taken aback at all the help he was receiving. "Why thank you. You appear to be a ranger, miss," he remarked, referring to Rowan. "I suppose you have remarkable skills in tracking." Sen himself wasn't good at all in the feild, but he could find a few trails now and then. But he would need these people's help if he wanted his hat back.

((Sorry about the badness but I'm in a rush. >_< ))

The woman seemed surprised when Rowan said she knew how to find the man. "How?" she had asked and seemed to figure it out when Rowan looked at the two wolves. "Does it, by any chance, involve our familiars?" Rowan smiled knowing she had probably figured it out.

"Why thank you. You appear to be a ranger, miss," he said and Rowan nodded. "That would be correct sir. I have an idea. Back where I come from my companion here helped me track down many things. And seeing how we have a peice of evidence here." she said holding up the hat. "The man who was the victum said that the culprit wore this hat when the crime was committed...Even if that was a few moments before he was seen on the streets it means it holds enough scent for Tykell, and your wolf miss, to find him." she smiled. "I suppose you have remarkable skills in tracking" the man said to her. "In a forest or plains yes. Not well in a city where evidence of people's passing by are easily covered or not seen well. However this is one of Tykell's specialties."

She turned to Tykell and knelt down. "Tykell. The man who wore this hat previously is a theif and a con. We must find him so we can prove this man's innocence. I need you to smell him out. Find the man." she said as the wolf burried his nose into it trying to find a strong enough scent.

Raven listened to the woman's explanation. As she had expected, they were going to use the wolves. The Atani thought about it for a while. In this kind of crowded city, there were too many different people, each with a different scent. That would make tracking difficult, even for the wolves. The woman's wolf--Tykell--needed all the help he could get.

"Think you can do it, Aegis?" asked Raven.

Aegis walked over to the hat, sniffing at it as well. Raven watched as the two wolves attempted to catch whatever scent was left on the hat. She decided to help out as well.

Raven began to concentrate, transforming herself into a white dog. Once she was in that state, she began to be much more aware of the scents around her. The shapeshifter walked over to the hat, sniffing it as well. Three strong scents intertwined with each other. One of them belonged to the woman now holding the hat, the other to the man now standing neat them, and the third was unknown. She attempted to isolate the unknown scent.

Raven pushed the other two scents out of her mind, focusing on the third one. Once she had it, she let out a small bark. Aegis broke away from the three and began to sniff the ground. Raven followed, trying to catch any scent. She wasn't as good at this as an actual dog, but she might be able to provide some assistance.

Sen watched the two work, feeling slightly useless. He couldn't track, and the only helpful peice of advice he could offer was which way he had seen the man run. He had been conned that was certain. Just when he was looking for good deeds to do. And now, it seemed, these people were helping him out instead.

"Thank you," he said the woman, one of which was now a dog. "I don't think I'd be able to find the culprit by myself. My name is Sen Dumina. And what are your names?"

Raven turned back to Sen as he talked. The shapeshifter opened her mouth to speak, but what came out was a series of growls and barks. Aegis walked over to her.

"I doubt he understood that," growled the wolf. He spoke in a series of growls, but since the dog was very similar to the wolf, Raven understood him perfectly.

"Sorry," she said, "I tend to forget."

Aegis turned back to his tracking as Raven walked over to Sen, transforming back into her natural form.

"I apologize," she said, "I sometimes forget that I cannot be understood by humans while in an animal form."

"My name is Raven Silverflame," she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sen, and it's really no problem at all."

She looked around them, her eyes falling on the two wolves. Both of them were hard at work to sniff out the culprit's trail. She smiled at them. They looked quite the sight--one white, the other black.

"It seems Aegis is getting along with your Tykell," commented Raven to the other woman.

Rowan watched surprised at the fact the woman was a shapeshifter. She had heard of such beings but never actually thought she would meet one. The three canines sniffed the hat she held and it seemed that the white wolf whose name was Aegis took off first. Then the shapeshifter and finally after some moments Tykell followed.

Thank you, I don't think I'd be able to find the culprit by myself. My name is Sen Dumina. And what are your names?" The man said. The shapeshifter began to bark but then realizing she could not be understood transformed back. "I apologize, I sometimes forget that I cannot be understood by humans while in an animal form. My name is Raven Silverflame," she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sen, and it's really no problem at all."

Rowan followed the pair as they moved also keeping an eye out for the guards and that man who pointed Sen out. "Its a pleasure Sen. I am Rowan of the Aelfie clan." she said as she introduced herself. "It seems Aegis is getting along with your Tykell," said Raven. Rowan nodded in agreement. "It appears so. Tykell was always one to make friends with animals." she said.

Rowan nodded in agreement at her comment.

"It appears so. Tykell was always one to make friends with animals," said the Aelfie.

Raven nodded, observing the two. She turned to Rowan.

"I can see that," she said, "I'm a bit surprised though at my own familiar. He's not very trusting and I was a little bit surprised at how fast he became friends with Tykell."

To say Aegis was not that trusting was an understatement. Raven had found the wolf injured in the Ered Annon Mountains one night almost a year ago. That attack on the wolf had created a permanent paranoid streak in him. He hardly trusted anyone that Raven met.

Thinking about Aegis brought to mind a certain Rauko that Aegis loved to bite. Aegis was never fond of Kithara. She wondered if the wolf still remembered her. It had been almost a year since they had last seen her.

"You see, I found him injured," said Raven, "I never really found out what had happened that night but since then, he's been a bit paranoid. He doesn't trust people right away."