Through Darkest Knight

[Gredar]

Marten thought for a second. "Mirado, if you want to protect them we have to reach them first. I know a place where Dracquis can't reach them. A place near the center of the kingdom, where the knights would have to defeat the Imperial Guard to approach. But if we have to protect them we need to get them fast before the Knights or Dracquis can track them down."  

[Masamune 5.0]

"Even if we were able to reach them before they crossed paths with the Knights of Exemplar, I doubt they'd agree to go hide somewhere. Knowing them, they'd rather confront the Knights or set out to destroy Dracquis again." Mirado finished his explanation.  

[demonofwhite]

"We could help them, going on our own or finding them first." Constance fidgeted with a loose thread on her skirt. "Anything could happen..."  

[Masamune 5.0]

"That's why we need to hurry," said Mirado. "Though right now the Knights are between us and them. So we'll probably end up running into the Knights before we reach those two."  

[demonofwhite]

"Alright, then. If I still had the trail, I could lead, but it's lost."  

[Gredar]

Marten sighed. "I'll try to pick up the scent. You owe me one though, Mirado. Shapeshifting leaves a hangover worse than the longest binge in history." He handed his staff to Constance and sat on the ground, concentrating. Within a few seconds short fur began to sprout along his body, spotted white, brown and black. His face elongated, limbs and body shortened and shrunk, and a small tail burst from his lower back. A dull grinding came from inside as his human skeleton rearranged itself, shrinking or growing as necessary. With a whimper Marten was no more, just a pile of clothing with a lump inside.

A wet nose poked it's way out of the collar, followed by a pudgy body and short stubby tail. A beagle now stood amongst the group, somewhat larger than normal with a blond patch of fur on it's head and wing shaped spots on it's back. "I'm going to regret this." Marten said, his voice projected mentally to the group. He began to snuffle the ground, sneezing every few seconds from the loose dust. With an endearing, doglike howl, he ran head down along the path. "Somebody grab my clothes. Last time I tried this I had to travel three days through the desert naked. I'll skin one of you for a suit before I do that again."  

[demonofwhite]

Constance laughed and picked up his cloths. "Actually, you make a cute dog. I wouldn't mind having you like this for a while!" She giggled. "But, when you change back, if you need a break, we'll be sure to stop for you!"  

[Masamune 5.0]

"Impressive. Alright then Beagle-Boy, lead the way." Mirado began to follow but then stopped. He turned around to face Alpheus. "Hey, Etzale! You coming or what?"  

[Demonix13]

Alpheus snapped out of his reverie.
"What...? Oh, yeah! Right behind you," he said.  

[Gredar]

Marten grinned, accidentally sucking in a mouthful of dirt from the path. Apparently a dog's face was not made to express that emotion. "Beagle-Boy, huh? You know, this would be easier if you would bathe once in a while." He spat the dirt out and returned to his vigil over the delicate tracery of smell left by the knights. Soon, he knew, the smell of the villager's blood would fade from the path and he would have to find one of the Knight's individual scents to keep following.  

[demonofwhite]

"Well, what should we call you as a dog then?" Constance said more to herself than anyone else. "Or we could just use your normal name, but makeing something up sounds like more fun..."  

[Masamune 5.0]

"What was that? You want a bath?" Mirado smirked menacingly as he turned around to face Marten. His hand flooded over with water, but then formed a liquidous orb around his fist. "I'll be happy to oblige."  

[Gredar]

Marten growled, then seemed to focus on Mirado. A wide stream of water shot from his forehead at Mirado, heavily dousing the area and turning that half of the path to mud. "Two can play at that game, Stinky." He walked forward, continuing to search for a distinct scent before the blood smell wore of. "If you want to rename me go ahead, but be creative about it. Next person to call me Beagle-Boy gets a crash course in bite care."  

[demonofwhite]

Constance smiled. "Flyfer, Fido, or Miro, or Marto. Which would you prefer?" She smiled.  

[Masamune 5.0]

Mirado stood soaking wet, and quite irritated. However, he managed to calm himself down. Mirado ran his hand up across his body, drawing out the water. It circled around his fist, forming a large sphere, which he tossed aside into the forest. He then continued walking with a scowl on his face. "Just be glad I don't punt you..."