*X-The Cold of Winter-X* (Now Accepting)

[Nick_austin90]

"I'd love that. Thank you, sir," I said. I wondered where Scarlet had gone too but took it out of my head. It's not my business, I thought.

So the rest of the morning, I was shown to the different parts of the elfen village and the place was simply breath taking. I actually forgot the problem that would befall me. I was allowed to stay till evening but Scarlet didn't even return. When the sun was nearly gone, I set out to go back home.

"Thank you, Elder Alec, for letting me enjoy the luxury of the elfen life. I'm really honored to be here," I said to Alec. I didn't know if elves shake hands so I just waited for him to say something before we actually part ways.  

[Rin128563]

Alec said, "Your welcome and it was a pleasure showing you around." He then shook Nick's hand and left back home.

"Come on lets go," Suki said wanting to take him back home so she could meet Scarlet on her way back from the village of Frost People.

Scarlet had good news to tell her grandfather and tried to make her way home. She wondered if Nick had left or not.  

[Nick_austin90]

I followed Suki silently. Kani too was silent beside me. Something was nagging me in my head and I don't know what. I really felt unease. I fidgeted a lot till Suki look up at me questioningly.

"It's nothing. I just have a bad feeling and I don't even know for what," I said. By the time we were halfway across the forest, the sky became dark and it was almost too dark for the human eye to see. I was practically blind and had to hold onto Kani. Suddenly, the two animals stopped and I felt Kani's shackles raise. He was alarmed.

"Kani? Suki? What's wrong? Why aren't we moving?" I asked. Then lightning flashed and what caught my eyes were shocking. Around us, over 50 guns were pointed at us from all angle and the people who held them had a look of savage pleasure. I was rooted to the floor.

"Nice ta see ya again, kid. Ya gimme a lot o'trouble yesterday by helping that she-elf escape." It was the same man as yesterday.

"We thought the elf would take you home but her wolf would do fine. You can be used too," another man spoke. I moved to take my revolver only to have a shot shot right beside my left foot.

"One move and you and those beasts die," the first man said. I froze. The group advanced towards us and finally bounded us. They took away my revolver and separated me from Kani. Kani struggled as hard as he could and none of the man could bound him. He jumped to me and stood in front of me defensively.

"Nick, call the hound down or it dies," a third man spoke. I knew the chance of Kani dying was high with the amount of firearm available.

"Kani, stand down boy. We can't go against them and I don't want to lose you," I said in defeat. Suki had already been sedated and she was harmless. Kani look at me sadly and let the men sedate him.

"Come on kid. We're taking ya fer a ride!" The whole group whooped.  

[Rin128563]

Scarlet was almost home when she had an alarming message from Suki.

'Scarlet we have been taken by poachers. None of us are hurt but something bad is going to happen...' she was cut off.

Scarlet gasped and quickly teleported were Suki had been. Unfortunatly they were all gone. She saw in the distance some tire tracks and quickly began to follow them. Her speed picked up and finally the cars were insight. She could see Suki, Kani, and Nick in the back of a truck gaged and bound.  

[Nick_austin90]

"Aww, look at her. She came to save her little friends!" A poacher appeared behind Scarlet. He laughed at her surprised reaction. "Didn't know we'd know huh," he said. Then all the poachers appeared with their guns and other weapons around Scarlet.

"Ya see lady, we don't want just you today," another man stepped forward. "Today we're hunting all the elves and guess what?" he asked. "C'mon, ask me that. Aw, ya don't wanna so we'll just tell ya then." He gestured to another man.

"We followed those three's prints and we found out where yer whole village is at! Imagine our surprise! And since we know we can't just let the opportunity pass now can we?" The man gestured to another and the group began to snigger.

"Well missy, we have a 100 more of our pals headed right to your village with really deadly weapon to elves and in one hour, they're gonna eradicate your whole sorry existance and then we'll move to thos frosties." The man finished with his laughter.

I watched as they slowly push Scarlet back towards the truck we were in. Kani and Suki were fast asleep beside me and I was helpless. Finally, she hit her back to the truck and the bound her with chains instead of rope.  

[Rin128563]

Scarlets heart began to beat fast it was out of fear but it was more out of anger. She looked at all the men and grinned. They all became confused to see her reaction.

"You humans really are stupid. Do you know how many times theses kinds of things happened to our race. We elves have been able to live as long as we have because we are more superior then you." She managed to stand up and the chains around her simply disintergrated. "You may have your silly little wepons, but we have magic. Your men may reach my village but there is no way that they can pass through the barrier i have created. Anyone who tries to pass will instantly be killed." The only thing that Scarlet had lied about was the fact that all the evles had magic. Only she had magic and those who did where only healers.  

[Nick_austin90]

"Gosh, the chain turned to dust and it aint going to the ground," A man mused. I instantly saw that some kind of gas was sorrounding Scarlet and that she was loosing conciuosness.

"Ya see miss. Humans ain't stupid as ya think. What you think was a chain is actually a special kind of metal than can be filled with gas. Once one part is destroyed, the gas unleashes itself but its usually ain't harmful but-" he paused for the dramatic effect. I saw Scarlet swaying. "But you destroyed the thing and released everything inside and it was actually poisonous gas too." The men laughed hard. I saw Scarlet struggling to stay concious.

"Lucky fer you, poison doesn't really kill but it numbs ya real bad," And Scarlet fell to the ground. They took her and bound her with ropes and tossed her into the truck.

"For you info, princess, we're not gonna enter the damned village. We're gonna burn that part of the forest with explosives!" Then laughter rang again. I was shocked. They were going to destroy the beautiful place I had just visited.  

[Rin128563]

Scarlet looked at them coldly, "You do that and i'll make sure to come after every single one of you and kill you. I'll make every single one of you suffer you disgusting poachers!" She spoke truthfully before passing out. Even though she was out, she managed to send a message to her grandfather.

'Grandfather, something bad has happened! The poachers are planning to destroy the area around our village. The barrier shold be able to protect the village, but all the trees and animals will surely die. We have to do something.'

'What do we do then my dearest granddaughter!' Alec said in an alarmed voice.

'I can do something about it but i'll need the energy of half the elves in our village. I...I know they don't like me but you need to tell them the situation...you need to tell them that we'll all be doomed if nothing is done. You have exactly one hour grandpa....please...' Scarlet was cut off as she was now fully ingulfed with darkness.  

[Nick_austin90]

I struggled to free my mouth of my gag and I succeeded. I was about to call to Scarlet but she fell unconcious at once. I stiffled my groan. I wanted to tell her that we could be free because I had found a quite big piece of glass in the truck and that I was already free. I waited till the truck was moving before I acted.

Lucky for us, we were placed in the truck at the farthest end and the back was open wide. They were so sure that we couldn't escape that they didn't even count the possibility of them getting free. I quickly untied my three companions of their binds. I had to be careful not to shake the truck but at the same time I needed to work fast. One hour was not so long.

Then I woke Kani with a slight problem but he was up in a minute but not as alert as I would want him to be.

"Kani, listen to me," I whispered, "you are going to carry Suki behind you and I'll carry Scarlet with me. When I tap my foot like this," I demonstrated, "we jump." Kani understood my order and I worked on placing Suki on his back. Once done, we sat at the edge of the truck and finally, I hit the truck with my feet and we jumped straight into the bushed. No one would spot us that was.

I tried waking Scarlet up but she wouldn't regain conciousness. Suki got up as soon as we stopped rolling and was on her guard.

"Suki, lets get back to the elf village," I said.  

[Rin128563]

Suki nodded and then they began to make there way back.

Scarlet was definatly unconcious and would not wake for hours...but if the elfs helped out then she would wake up in merely a few minutes.

Back at the village Alec gathered his people and told them the news. "Please my brothern we must protect our forest and the animals. We must save ourselfs, we must give my granddaughter the energy she needs to save us."

The elves were hesitant but they knew that deep down they had to help. Afterall Scarlet always helped them when poachers came. They knew that it was there turn to give a helping hand.  

[Nick_austin90]

Time was running out fast. There was only half an hour left and we were so far away from the village. If only I knew how to get Suki to become big!

"Suki! Isn't there a river route to the village?" I asked tiredly. We had been running non-stop for nearly half-an-hour and I am not a wolf! I was getting extremely tired because I had Scarlet on my back for is she was to ride of Suki, she'd fall instantly.

I was panting badly. I needed to slow down but time won't let me do so. I kept pushing till my feet stumbled underneath me. I got up again and ran again. I fell again yet I still got up until I fell for the sixth time. My left leg had fell on a boulder and I heard something snap in me. I felt nothing at first but when I tried to get up, a mind numbing pain coursed through me and I howled in pain. Sukia and Kani who were in front quickly turned back and found me on the ground with my left leg bending at a wrong angle and Scarlet sprawled beside me, unscatched.

"Suki, take Scarlet and Kani and go. I'll be fine," I said as I held down the whimper that attempted to let escape.  

[Rin128563]

The elves held hands and began to chant along with there elder. They heard the poachers coming but continued. Then green lights of orbs began to file out of the elves and as they rose to the sky they disappeared. The engery orbs had been teleported to Scarlets location.

"There wont be any need to," Suki said with a smile now on her face.

Scarlet quickly woke up and felt 100% better. "I'll have to thank them later," she said to herself. She sat up and turned to look at Nick who was in great pain. "I'm sorry ...i'll help you like you did me," Scarlet said as she placed her hand on his leg. Her hand became light blue and soon his leg was being consumed by the same color. His leg was then healed and she helped him up. "Now i'll teleport us to my village, there we have to come up with a plan."  

[Nick_austin90]

"Great to have you back with us Scarlet," I said with a smile. I held Kani's fur with my other arm. "Let's get to work," my voice determined to save the elfen village.  

[Rin128563]

Scarlet nodded and then teleported everyone to the elven village. There her grandfather ran up to her and welcomed her back. "Grandfather....thank you," she then turned to all the other elves, "thank you all."

"Scarlet what do we do about the poachers?" Alec asked still very alarmed.

"When it comes to the explosions I can contain the blast and wait till it is finally over. But if i do that then the barrier will fall and the poachers can get in. I wont have much energy left to get rid of them all....the only solution is to fight." Scarlet said with worry.  

[Nick_austin90]

"May I interrupt?" I said and they let me talk. "I see that the village is strategically placed within a circle of very thick trees and with only two way out. Both opposite to each other. That's the strong point of this village. We will use the earth structure to our benefit."

I took a twig and started drawing a rough sketch of the village.

"This is gate A and this is gate B. If you were to fight at both side then you would be at a disadvantage because your people are small in number. I propose we seal on off and just use the other one as their entry way. Sealing one way I mean by letting fire eat the entrance. We should place burnable things there and completely seal off the entry. Then they will be forced to used only one entrance and it will be an easy fight. If they try to climb from the side, archers can take them out."

I laid out my idea but I was waiting for their response. "What do you think?"