The Lost Ones

[Zella]

Mina awoke softly, her eyes fluttering about trying to gain vision. When it finally came into less of a blur, she saw the sky, shades of black, blue, and purple came into focus, a few stars still visible in the sky as it approached dawn. She stared at it for awhile and began to sit up. She winced and a small gasp escaped her lips as her back came off the ground. She quickly grabbed her head with one hand, and placed the other on her ribs, picking it back up quickly. Blood. It ran down her fingers and dripped onto her clothes. She placed it back on her wound, along with the other one that was holding her head as she sat up fully, examining the environment around her.

"Where.." her soft, whispery voice echoed in her head which was now pounding and pulsing in pain. She grew more and more confused. What had happened? Where was she? Why was she hurting? Her vision grew blurry again, probably due to loss of blood. She ripped a long piece of cloth from her cloak and wrapped it tightly around her ribs, wincing and biting her lower lip to try and stay quiet. Her small frame shook with pain as she tied and secured her wound. Finally, she forced herself to stand, looking around for anything familiar, or anyone else. There was nothing recognizable about where she was.

It was still dark, Still not quite dawn yet. It was as though she were just picked up and dropped into somewhere new. Her pale grey eyes closed, then finally opened, regaining their focus. She didnt know where she was, but it was beautiful. Her pointed ears raised up as she smiled at the forest she stood in. It was lit up by bright, glowing plants, and will-o-wisps, and a small pond just a few steps away. Still a bit shaky, she walked over to it and put her legs in, dipping her hands in and washing some of the blood off. It was all stunning, but she frowned, and remembered why she had blood on her in the first place. She remembered, ironically, that she didn't remember. She was lost..

 

[Virus]

A small raccoon looking creature scampered up to the girl looking at her with confusion. "How are you still alive...you were shot out of the sky. You must have been at least a thousand feet up," he said. "You're covered in blood...can you walk? Because if so I can fix you right up...I-I think." The small creature tugged at the girl's hand. "Come on! You know I can't carry you."

 

[Zella]

Mina jumped as the raccoon had startled her. She had let herself become off guard in all of her confusion and awe. She definitely wasn't going to let that happen again. She looked the raccoon in the eyes, almost as though peering through it, "I can walk.. Who- or what are you?" The woman removed her feet from the waters and stood up next to it, confusion lie in her grey eyes as she examined it. Shot from the sky? That's ridiculous..

The forest remained silent aside from herself and the peculiar creature that spoke to her. She was definitely hoping to find something.. Different. Nonetheless, she awaited the creatures response, preparing to either follow, or attack depending on what came after.

 

[Virus]

"Just call me Howard. My students call me Mr. H as an alternative so feel free to call me that as well. We can worry about what I am later. For now you need help. That's a lot of blood you're losing...or lost. I'll take you to my home and I can help you from the-" he was cut off, by a soft crack noise. His ears twitched as he sniffed the air. "We're not alone...look alive," The creature took out a bow that was almost as big as him. He then ran behind a nearby tree to get his quiver. After putting it on, he climbed the same tree only to jump a high branch only moments later. A mixture of humans and and wood elves emerged from the forest and was eyeing the girl. Before they could take one step, booby traps were triggered and arrows were flying. Howard was just adding on to the pandemonium with his enchanted and poison tipped arrows. The remainder of warriors that were now confused and stunned were getting ravaged by the creature. A small knife in his hand as he killed each and every remaining being quicker than lighting. One warrior remained. He looked around in panic at his fallen mates. Howard landed in front of the warrior, no weapons in hand. "I'm giving you the simple choice of running or becoming bear food like the rest of your people." With out giving it a thought, the warrior stumbled and fled away as fast as he could. Howard then did a 180 spin to face the girl. He bowed and then hooked his bow back on his shoulder. "I take it those were the people who tried to kill you earlier...that can't be all of them, there has to be more. I suggest we move. Now."

 

[Zella]

The girl witnessed in pure disbelief. She was talking to a raccoon warrior, a RACCOON... WARRIOR, She emphasized in her head. Who, not only single handedly, or rather, single pawed-ly, took on an ambush, but also invited me into his home, if I want to live.. "Mina, you've finally lost it" She thought aloud as she walked away from the small warrior. "You have OFFICIALLY, lost it." Suddenly she stopped and spun around on her heel, "Alright, Raco- Howard," She recalled the name it gave her, not wanting to be rude in case she either wasn't crazy, or was doomed to be stuck in crazy world, "I appreciate all you've done, but Where exactly is it we're going? I'm pretty sure I won't fit in a raccoon hole in a tree." She shook her head once more in disbelief as she finally gave him a chance to speak.

 

[Virus]

Howard chuckled and his chuckle gradually turned into loud laughing. "You think I live in a 'raccoon hole'?" he asked mid-laugh. "You're probably not from here are you," he said still smiling. "Quite Naive, aren't you my new friend? Follow me." the raccoon began to toward the woods.

After about ten minutes of walking, the two arrived at an opening. A field that was populated with all sorts of flowers. Howard took out a device with a red button on it. Once it was pressed, a metal door appeared in the middle of this field. As Howard stepped closer to it, it began to open. "Okay now this may mess with your mind so...expect the unexpected." The doors opened to reveal a gate like structure attached to each side of the threshold. First Howard stepped through. As he did so, slowly, but surely, he transformed into a 6'2 man with shoulder length black hair

Spoiler

"Okay so before you freak out, just wait and listen. The raccoon was my disguise for this planet. I have a disguise for many planets. You may recognize me as the vigilante Hell's advocate...or at least that's the the media calls me. However, my name is actually Howard...don't run yet! Please! Just step through this door. I promise I won't harm you. I'm here to help."

 

[Zella]

She scoffed at the small creature, "Of course I don't think you live in a raccoon hole, you're a talking, fighting, raccoon, thing. For all I know, you may just be a dragon. Hell, I don't even know if you're real." She explained, holding her head. For all she knew, this could all be a dream formed in what would probably be a severely concussed mind, considering how much her head hurt at this point. "There's plenty of magic where I come from, I'm not going to 'freak out'. And trust me. After you, I'm expecting anything." She explained, rubbing the back of her head. Her long, midnight colored hair, which was normally soft and silky, shining black with dark shades of blue, was now dark, and slightly matted with dry blood where her hand lay "/I probably should have bathed in that pond while I was able/" She thought to herself, though was glad she didn't as she watched the small creature turn into a man a little under a foot taller than her. She opened her mouth to speak, but just shook her head as she followed him inside.