The Deadlands

[STARLING]

This is a story I wrote for English class last year, and I just found it today. =D The reason I'm posting this is because our assignment was to make Two original, dynamic characters, and I thought.. Hey! Why not use my neopets? x3

So it's starring Drift and Umber (with a cameo from my friend Kagome's wocky, Kimatsue). And the plots a little cliche, I think, but it does it's job. I'm actually pretty pleased with it, so give it a try! It'll give you an excellent look into Drift and Umber's personalities, if nothing else xD

It's a three part story, so I'll post it as such. x3

And it's not under the NT board cos there's no way I could get this in the Neopian Times xDD;;

But yes, enjoy and tell me what you think!

And P.S - Since I was writing it for school, I had to use "dog", "cat", "wolf" and so on instead of gelert, lupe, and wocky. So bear with me ;3

WARNING: Long xD

[STARLING]

PART ONE

Cluttered. The table was cluttered with all manners of junk; a laptop earnestly whirred away in the mess of papers and manila folders. Something that looked suspiciously like a holstered pistol was half buried in a flood of photographs. A massive sheathed sword stretched almost across the entire table. Its metal clasps glowed dully in the faint late-evening light that trickled in through the windows.

A mechanical beep suddenly sounded, the laptop screen suddenly pulling up several windows. The figure standing in the next room, by the mantle shifted slightly, but made no move to investigate this new development.

It beeped again, in the manner of an impatient child wanting its parent’s attention. Then, seemingly in the way said child will sulk away with resignment when said parent takes no notice, it sounded again, a screensaver replacing the windows, before falling silent.

The figure turned halfheartedly, looking with glazed green eyes at the computer then out the window at the sunset. He was a canine, fur black and short, tall, and with a muscular build, clad simply in a plain dark green tee-shirt and black jeans. His ears were long, and thin, hanging down to his waist. His fur possessed several bright green crescent markings on it, most notably one over his left eye, almost in the manner of a sort of scar, but there also was a pair dropping down either side of his forearms. Though young, being only twenty-two, DriftFern Louden in this state seemed to have aged fifteen years.

He sighed in an exhausted manner and then turned around, looking at an assortment of photographs on the mantle: his family. One of the pictures was formal, professional, against a fake spring green background, his wife and pups... They were all dressed fancy, and beaming… Except for his son, Coyote, who the photographer had taken over fifteen minutes to coax a small, cryptic Mona-Lisa smile out of him.

Then there were the pup’s school pictures (Krystal and Cora looking cute as buttons, Coyote sulky, and Kita had blinked but the picture was good all the same), one of him and Miranda, the entire family…

But the cookout one from last summer was the one that made the dog’s heart cramp.

He had been grilling hamburgers, wearing one of those “Kiss the Cook” aprons, and Miranda had snuck up on him and was doing just that. The kids were sitting at the nearby picnic table, mustard and looks of good-natured disgust on their faces.
He stared at this for some time, taking it into his hands, expression hollow, eyes tired and bloodshot. He noticed Kita had Sausage, her pet rock with her…

“Kita, honey, don’t throw rocks-“
“But Daddy! Sausage isn’t a rock!” Her eyes, green like his, started to fill with tears. Drift barely bit back a quick reply (Of course he’s a rock…), and sighed.
“Don’t cry sweetheart. Of Course Sausage isn’t a rock... But you mustn’t throw him around…He has feelings… too…”
“Really?” She stared up at him in wonder, tears forgotten.
“Yes...”

Slowly he replaced the picture frame, and walked in a daze back to the table, seemingly in slow motion, broken images flashing through his mind.

Miranda, on one of her many shopping trips, eyes sparkling, pink fur and hair shining… The pups’ first day of kindergarten… Coyote’s drawings... Krystal lecturing on fashion… The time Kita lost Sausage... Cora on her swing set-

“Drift.”

He froze, eyes wide, completely jolted back to reality. A second later his face rapidly morphed into a snarl at who he had almost crashed into.

“Umber.”

“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” The lupine, standing blatantly as if she belonged there, in the small archway between kitchen and living room, responded with a smirk. She was his sister, though adopted; a chestnut wolf with dark brown hair falling just past her shoulders. Quite tall and lean to begin with, the black combat style boots she wore made her even taller. The wolf’s hands were stained black with eternal soot, and then smoked slightly. She regarded him with a sneer, her strange flamed eyes glittering, only a pupil swimming in a sheet of orange fire.

Drift regarded her suspiciously. There was definitely no lost love between the two…

“I don’t have any time for the likes of you.” He snarled. The nineteen year-old simply leaned against the door frame, watching him with a mocking look.

“And get out of my house.” The dog continued, voice threatening.

“Oh, that’s right… your house, now that your wifey and kiddies got themselves kidnapped…”

Drift clenched his teeth, eyes narrowed, knowing that she just wanted to get him mad, that he shouldn’t fall for it.. But it was working anyways.

Umber, obviously pleased at his reaction, turned on her heel and waltzed over to the table, tail flicking every so often. “Of course... I never did like the brats anyways… Or Miranda-“She glanced over to gauge her brother’s expression, wrinkling her snout, “But nice job, Drift… I guess being a mercenary does pay off. What an improvement!”

The dog was shaking with rage, fists clenched and quivering at his side, veins standing out of his arms and neck. He lunged, but forced himself to stop after a strange stagger-step, eyes wide and furious. He was not one who made a practice of hitting women.

But this one deserves it, a voice whispered before he shut it off.
He looked back up at her, a bit more composed. She had crossed her arms across her chest, an eyebrow raised at his little performance.

“Having problems?” she asked with false sympathy.

“Get. Out.” He barked.

Umber looked at him like he was a small child, and began leafing through the papers, quickly emerging with a plain white envelope, pulled out the contents, and began to read it. Drift bristled, but then walked over, glancing at the envelope. Immediately recognizing what it was, he looked away, already knowing what it said, in neat, impersonal, short typing, addressed simply to Mr. Louden. No stamps or postal codes, only a strange, inscribed seal of the letter “M” in a dark red ink that could have been blood. He closed his eyes, the image floating up in his mind.

Driftfern Louden

We have your family.
Your recent activities in our district have made you most unpopular.
Rest assured notifying the police will result in their permanent disappearance.

Also contained in the envelope along with that brief, world-crashing note was a series of Polaroid’s of them, looking ragged and scared… But alive.

He opened his eyes slowly- Umber was flipping through these, looking mildly interested.

“Finished yet?” he grumbled tiredly, further exhausted by the little tiff with his sister, who replaced the photographs with slim, soot-blackened fingers, then leaning against the table, the envelope in hand.

She waved it in front of Drift’s face. “You recognize this seal?”

He squinted at it, as he had done countless times before, “Yes.” Even without the seal he had a pretty decent idea who was behind this…

“Mercurios.” She said with a malevolent look, inclining her head slightly as he nodded ‘yes’ in response. “You’re going after them.”

It was not a question.

“Of course.” Drift replied.

“You’ll get killed.” There was no concern or worry in her voice or face. Just blank fact.

“I don’t intend to. You care why?” he shot with a biting glare.

“Maybe I can put my talents to use…” As she said this, flames sprang to life in her open palm, firelight casting strange shadows on the wolf’s face as she stared at her brother.

It was Drift’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Feeling generous all of a sudden?”

Umber smirked, lip curling up a bit into a snarl, and she said in a low voice, “I have my reasons-“

“Who said I needed your help?” he interrupted sharply.

She smiled at this, “Oh, but you’ll need it.” Her voice was grave, but her eyes were glittering from the firelight around her.

“Believe me.”

---------------------------------

Rain pelted on the windshield of Drift’s car, streaming down in rivulets before being brushed away by the wipers. The headlights cast a searchlight through the blackness of the road ahead.
“Get your feet off the dash.”

“No.”

“GET YOUR FEET OFF THE DASH.”

Umber, in the passenger seat, shot a furious look at Drift, slamming her booted soles back to the cars floor. She began ruffling through her hair agitatedly. Drift only narrowed his eyes and turned back to the road, asking himself again why he’d brought Umber along.

Because she’s useful when not being a-, the voice began, only for Drift to block it out again.

He was wearing sunglasses, something Umber had been quick to snap at, (“How suspicious. Sunglasses. While it’s raining and dark. Smart move, Drift…”) But he needed them to hide the green crescent mark over his eye. Also, she had no room to talk, flamed eyes and all…

He was also garbed in a trenchcoat, dark brown and falling down to his knees. He would need it for concealing Elemental- his sword that had been previously lying on the kitchen table was now secured in its sheath and lying in the backseat… for now. The dog also carried his pistol at his belt. Hopefully he wouldn’t be needing it.

Umber was wearing a black hooded jacket with some insignia of some kind or another on it, and had put the hood up, casting her face in as much shadow as it was capable of. She was also unarmed, or as far as she could be, he reasoned, throwing a sideways glance at the firebug. Besides, he trusted her about as far as he could throw this car. She would definitely not be given a gun on his watch…

He focused his eyes on the road, and suddenly saw a scrap of paper on the dash, covered in a surprisingly good drawing of a dragon type creature… Surely one of his son’s creations.

“Son, all you do is sit inside and draw.”
Coyote, his puppy face turned downwards towards his sketchbook, clasping his pencils in his small hands, said slowly, “But I like to draw…”
“Don’t you want to play football or baseball with the other boys?”
“No…”
“Why not?”
“Because…” his son said with effort, “I’m not good.”
“No-one starts out good! I can teach you, and-“Drift began earnestly, eagerly.
“Dad...” Coyote said, gray eyes taking a stubborn gleam, standing out surprisingly in his red furred face ringed by black moon markings.
“…I’m not good.”

Drift remembered that he had found that drawing at his place at the kitchen table the next day… Coyote’s sort of… apology... if you will. He suddenly felt ashamed, trying to make his child something he was not.

Boy, if I get you out of this, he promised inwardly, you’re going to the best art school money can buy. You can paint, draw… whatever. Just-

A sudden snapping interrupted his thoughts. The canine glanced over, to find Umber, moodily sprawled in her seat, snapping her fingers in the manner of a lighter- every time she snapped a small tongue of flame appeared only to disappear on the next snap. She continued this nonchalantly, with none of the angry concentration she needed for other firework.

“No fire in the car.” He muttered, without much authority in his voice.

Umber sensed this, ceased “the lighter” for a moment, and stared at him with a malevolent sort of curiosity, as if he was some frog she had been wishing to dissect for some time, then went back to snapping her fingers.

The dog ignored her, focusing his attention on the road, and drove in silence, punctuated only by a steady snap-snap-snap-snap. He thought a bit about Miranda, but in a more practical form then simple remembering. Was she okay? Was she keeping the pups safe? Did she know he was coming? Hope that he was? Had they hurt them, hit them?

At this thought he unconsciously lifted his lips in a silent snarl. If they so much as lay a finger on them… He would KILL…
The skyline of the city loomed ahead, a mass of glittering lights, loomed ahead. They were close… He was faintly aware the snapping had stopped “So where exactly are we going?” Umber asked, a sneer in her voice, and most likely on her face as well. He didn’t feel like looking to check.

“First we need to pay a visit to an old friend.”

“The vampire.” Umber hissed, eyes filled with sudden venom, the flames in them rising slightly in level.

“However you want to put it,” Drift replied, “Kim can only help us. If Mercurios has them, and I’m sure he does, we’ll need all the help we can get.”

Umber still wore a scowl, muttering something unintelligible about “the vampire” but remained silent all the rest of the trip, ten-something minutes. They entered the brightly lit city, leaving behind the ritzy hotels and “good” neighborhoods where every child surely attended a school with “Private Academy” in its name. But they stopped at a certain building… Just on the edge, where the town began to become dark… A place where a nighttime walk constituted as attempted suicide nowadays…

It was Kim’s apartment, a towering monster of a building, that the vampire made residence on the very top floor. But it was also something else… The borderline.

[STARLING]

PART TWO

Umber scuffed her feet on the cheap hallway carpet, and leisurely tossed a fireball from hand to hand as they waited for the door to open. Drift exhaled loudly, frowned in the general direction of his sister, then knocked on the apartment door again, not even bothering to take off his sunglasses.

There was a clicking of the lock and a rattle of the door-chain, and the door opened a crack, a slice of Kim’s face changing from grumpy to curious to concerned as she looked up at Drift. Without a word, the white cat opened the door wider, beckoning them in, wrinkling her nose as Umber trailed in behind Drift, but allowing her entrance regardless.

She locked the door behind them, and then addressed the dog, fangs glittering in the lamplight as she spoke, “What happened?”

For it was not an ordinary day that her brother-in-law dropped in late at night, without notice, and with Umber in tow. The latter was most alarming.

Kim Walker was a late-teenaged cat, white-furred, average height, and slim. Her hair was black and straight, falling to her waist. She had a definite gothic style about her, and despite the late hour, was fully and properly dressed, looking ready to attend a party.

But Drift knew better. She was a vampire after all…

“The pups and Miranda, they’ve been kidnapped.” Drift said with effort, suddenly overwhelmed with a painful flood of emotion and reality, and added with difficulty, “My fault.” He resisted an urge to bore a hole in the floor with his eyes, and instead met Kim’s gaze. Her mouth was an “O” of surprise, eyes wide.

“Drift… I’m so sorry…” Kim knew what it was like to lose a love…And Miranda was also her sister…

“I’m not looking for pity.” He said, words usually said with an angry edge blandly coming out of his mouth, “I’m looking for help.”

The cat nodded, “Anything I can do.”

He gave a brisk, distracted nod in return, and pulled out a thick manila folder from his trenchcoat’s voluminous pocket, spreading the contents on a nearby coffee table, a picture of Mercurios himself, an old grey wolf, sneering up at them.

“Tell me what you know about Mercurios.”

------------------------------------------

While Drift was pouring over the papers with Kim, both talking in low, grave voices, Umber was “exploring” the quite large apartment, flamed eyes casting a faint glow in the dark hallway. There wasn’t too much of interest. The living room where they were in, with it’s attached kitchen, Bathroom, broom closet, A “library” of sorts (she picked up a book off one of the shelves and immediately cast it aside after reading two sentences; it was a romance novel) and the bedroom, no real valuables at all in sight.

But there was a balcony…

Umber crossed the bedroom and opened the sliding glass door, pausing for the slightest moment, ears erect, to make sure Drift, Kim, or both, hadn’t come to intercept her. Nothing stirred, and she slipped outside, not even bothering to close the door behind her. Instead, the lupine leaned on the railing and looked down; Kim’s apartment was on the top floor, and as a result she was granted a fabulous view of an unfabulous cityscape.

A wet gust of wind blew up and ruffled her hair. It had stopped pouring, but thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, and a halfhearted drizzle was trying to pick up… The soft sad roar of eternal traffic lost in the rising fog below.

The building faced a district of the city Umber was accustomed to calling the deadlands… For obvious reasons… While most the city sparkled away like fireflies, they were dark. She took note of all these in just a few seconds, then squinted her eyes, looking down at the mess before her. The wolf could almost hear the glass breaking; see the mist rise out of alleys... The fire blackened bricks.

She stood there for several moments and then the spell broke: She swore under her breath. She had never liked the city. Too many people.

She had never liked people.

Cursing again, she headed back inside, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder as she went. She could not afford to doubt… A second later Umber was smirking broadly, much more reassured of her motives. It was as if nothing had happened…

--------------------------------------

“It’s not much, but it’s all I have.” Kim was saying, looking unhappily at the paper cluttered table. “I stay out of underground affairs. If I knew it could’ve helped-”

Drift held up a hand for silence. “No. It’s fine. You’ve helped a lot.” Inside though, he felt empty. Kim knew of a warehouse that Mercurios had been using… But that had been months ago… Surely they had moved on.

Kim smiled weakly- she wasn’t fooled that easily. The dog nodded, green eyes clouded. The full reality of this was just starting to sink in.

“Drift... My love, you know you can’t keep living like this…” Miranda said, looking at her husband, who had just returned from a mercenary mission. Late at night, exhausted, and covered in wounds.
Again.
“The pups cry themselves to sleep whenever you’re gone,” Miranda continued, looking both mournful and irritated at once, but also beautiful…
“…Miranda…”

“And I’m worried, Drift! Look at you! Look at this!” She took a step forward and ran her fingers over a deep gash on his cheek. He barely held in a wince.
She sighed, looking at his sword, the weight of it on his belt suddenly hateful, and then fixed him with a sad gaze.

“Drift, I love you more than anything on this world. But who are you trying to be? They don’t need an action hero. They need a father. And I need a husband.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she shook her head, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him on the uninjured cheek.

“Please think about that. I love you. Goodnight.”
“Miranda-“He started, but she had already disappeared up the stairs, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

This is all my fault…

This is all my fault…

Drift was frozen, face distant. He was unaware that he was gripping a sheet of paper so tightly that it was practically ripped in half.

“..Drift?” Kim asked, visibly concerned. The dog shook his head as if to clear it, his ears swaying slightly. “I’m fine.” He said slowly. “Just remembering.”

The cat’s blue-white eyes widened a bit but she nodded with understanding.

Drift ran a hand through the fur atop his head. Miranda… I won’t fail you… If it’s the last thing I do… I promise…
He suddenly stood up, grabbing his sunglasses and slipping them back on. “We need to go. Thank you… so much.”

The cat stood up as if to stop him. “Do you want me to come?” she asked solemnly, indicating her own sheathed sword, sitting in a wicker basket beside the couch that Drift immediately associated with old ladies' magazine holders.

Despite himself, he smiled a bit at this.

“Kim... You’ve been so much help. But we’re going to that warehouse. And you’re just one more person that’s close to me. You’re valuable to them.”

“What about Umber?” she inquired, eyebrow raised.

“I could honestly care less if she lives or dies.” He said flatly.

She crossed her arms. “You’re terrible.” There was no conviction in her voice however. She disliked Umber almost as much as he did.

“Speak of the devil, where is she? Umber!” he growled, heading down the hall, Kim trailing after him, feeling better that he was moving, actually doing something. He was sure he would get them…

But- But the truth underneath the surface… He wasn’t. Not at all. Mixed with the obvious doubt and sadness was guilt. He was guilty...


They found Umber sitting in the study, reading a book and looking about as innocent as a fat cat in a fish shop. As they walked into the room, the chestnut wolf flicked her eyes upward to survey them, a scowl blooming on her muzzle.

“Can’t you see I’m trying to read this muck you call literature?”

“We’re leaving.” The canine said icily.

“Oh goody.” She threw down the book, stood up, and was careful to step on it as she joined them.

Kim’s displeasure was apparent. “I’d be careful if I were you. That book happens to have more emotional value to me then you.”

Umber shot the cat an “Oh, really” look and fire materialized around her clenched fists. “Let’s find out, shall we.”

Kim tensed, raising her hands.

“Quit wasting time.” Drift grabbed Umber by the hood of her sweatshirt, and yanked her backwards. “We’re leaving.” He snarled, voice threatening, as hard as steel. She shot him a look that said she would have no greater desire then to incinerate them both right here, brother or not, then wrenched out of his grip, stomping over to the door.

The dog turned to Kim, who was watching this drama with a cloistered smile. “Once again, thank you.”

“Get them back, Drift.” She said softly, voice sad, eyes adding without words, like I can’t get him back…

He was hit with another wave of emotion. Kim... She knew what this was like. And what if he couldn’t get them back? It would be his doing; he had killed them.

Drift turned away to hide the fact that he actually felt like crying. “I will.”

She smiled in the slightest, “I know you will.”

The canine turned, not even forcing a smile. He nodded instead, twice, gravely, before heading out the door, unsure if he could keep that promise or not…

-----------------------------------

“What a dump.” Umber grumbled.

Drift’s already low spirits had sunken even further at the sight of the warehouse. Kim had said it hadn’t been used for several months- it looked more like several years. Weeds sprouted out of the sidewalk. All the paint had flaked off long ago, the windows were broken in and boarded up. The blank walls were singed by some past fire, the door hanging on a single, rusty hinge.

And it was raining again.

“What a dump.” Umber repeated, eyes flashing eerily in the darkness under her hood- she had put it up to shed the rain.

“I heard you the first time.” Drift muttered, still incredulous, staring at the macabre scene. He could feel Elemental’s dead weight dragging from his belt and the comfort that usually brought was gone.

“Didn’t say it for your benefit.” Umber replied grumpily, a second later yawning obnoxiously with a smirk. “Well they’re not here. Let’s pack up and move out. Better luck next time.”

The dog felt the anger rise in him, but suppressed it. Besides, he noted with what would have been amusement had he not been so preoccupied, Umber had moved enough to get out of lunging distance, and was watching him critically.

“Shut up.” He said, voice hollow. “We’re looking inside. For a clue.”

“Oooh, so what are we now? Detectives?”

He ignored her and opened the door; it creaked loudly, but opened easily enough. The soles of his shoes on the cracked concrete floor brought up dust. From the glow of a streetlight, he could see heaps of boxes piled up. It was dark inside and smelled of rot.

“That is, if there are any clues to find. Ever thought of that, Sherlock?”

Drift entered the warehouse, purposely allowing the door to hit her as she followed, smirking slightly at the sound of her angry snarl.

As the door closed, it became pitch black. He took off his sunglasses and pocketed them. No use here…

He could hear the rain pounding on the roof and the patter and drip of it hitting the floor in many of the old tile’s leaks, and even his own breathing, and Umber’s, with his keen hearing. Suddenly from behind Drift there was a dull orange glow, not as bright as a light bulb, but a thousand times better than the dark.

Drift turned to see his sister holding a handful of fire- despite the slightly disturbing shadows it cast, light was a welcome sign.

“Which way?” she snapped.

The grateful feeling he had begun to entertain about Umber disappeared. “Hold on.” Drift unzipped his coat, and drew Elemental from its sheath. The broadsword’s blade glittered in the light, though its ebony handle seemed instead to swallow the illumination.

Umber snorted. “You really think something’s in here?”

“I don’t take my chances.”

At this the wolf laughed. “Really… You being a mercenary and all-“

“Just move.” He growled, voice suddenly deadly.

“Which-?”

“THAT way.”

“No need to get snippy about it.” She snorted.

“Quiet.”

------------------------------------

Three hours searching. Three long hours by the Timex watch with the blue light up screen that Miranda hand given him last year as a Father’s Day present.

Miranda…

And no trace of her, or Cora, Kita, Coyote and Krystal. No trace of Mercurios. The only things in here are rats and rotting boxes. He sat on the cold, flaking concrete, back against an old metal shelf. Umber was a mere silhouette off in the distant landscape of boxes.

But he had light- they had build a fire from some of the drier boxes, and though it needed constant feeding, fuel was a reach of the arm away… Quite literally… Drift sighed and laced his hands under his muzzle, staring into the flames.

“DADEE!”
He rocketed into the room at unreal speed; sure someone was murdering his daughter, almost tripping over several toys in the process.
“What’s the matter?” he panted, frantically looking around for the danger.
“SHE won’t play tea party with me!” Krystal whined, pointing at her sea foam-green furred sister, Cora.
Tea party? Drift goggled at this, unsure of what to say. That was what it was all about?
“But Daaaaad!” Cora whined, “I don’t wanna! I don’t like frilly dresses… or tea!” She stuck her tongue out at Krystal, who narrowed her eyes in response.
“You don’t have to play tea party, Cora.” Drift said with exasperation.”
“YAY!” she gave him a quick hug, shot a smug look at her sister, and ran off.
Krystal began crying in earnest.
“Maybe I can play with you?” Drift suggested.
She sniffed and stared at him with large blue eyes. “But Daddy! You can’t play tea party! You’re, like, not a girl.”
Drift blinked and had to resist laughing, “So?”
“Soooo... You can’t play.” She grabbed a nearby doll. “She can play with me!”
“You’d choose her over your own father?” Drift said in a mock horrified voice.
“Of course, Daddy.”

He wasn’t sure how long he was staring into the fire, listening to the rain patter when suddenly movement caught his eye. It wasn’t Umber- she either strode about like she owned the world, or used an odd, gliding speed that was somehow creepier from the first.

This figure lurked, darting from shadow to shadow. Another dead giveaway- Umber would have been carrying fire…

He slowly rose, and quick as a flash, without thinking, darted into a shadow, sword clutched firmly in his hand. As he backed into the dark, he bumped into something… Drift whipped around, sword ready, but was met with a pair of flamed eyes. With a sigh he lowered the sword.

“Who do you think that is?” Umber hissed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he replied in a low tone instead, ignoring her question, watching the figure dart about.

“Oh, if he was about to kill you, I would’ve done something.”

“I sincerely doubt that.”

“Good. It means you’re getting smarter.” She smirked at him, the light from her eyes glittering off her teeth, as did the smoke rising from her hands.

“Who is he?” Drift whispered.

“I just asked you that.”

The dog watched the figure for several moments. “Did he see you?”

“No,” she chuckled, “If he did I would’ve killed him.”

“We’re following him then.”

Drift slipped out of the shadows, and Umber’s boots making muffled scuffing noises on the floor behind him told him she was following. He narrowed his eyes into thin slits. If there wasn’t something suspicious about an unidentified person snooping about the place where his family was supposed to be the night they were kidnapped... he might as well go home…

Don’t worry; I’m coming for you guys.

This man was up to something. And he intended to find out what.

[STARLING]

PART THREE

“Anyone else starting to feel like some miserable washout ninja?” Umber grumbled, peering through the bars on a fire escape, so irate that the metal was starting to heat up and bend from her grip.

They were both soaked to the skin, and covered in mud, having been trailing the man for the better part of an hour. Umber could easily dry herself and her clothes with fire, but that would draw attention for sure.

“Quiet.” Hissed Drift from his hiding spot in the dumpster below.

Almost an hour. An hour of running down streets, on roofs, across yards, past bums, through abandoned buildings, and junkyards. And now finally his quarry was stopping. He finally got a good look at him- a scrawny red fox, his thin frame draped in a dark, ratty blue jacket and hat turned black by the rain. He was pacing furiously in a nervous, jittery manner.

“Someone’s been hitting some caffeine.” Umber commented dryly, and then intonated a second later. “Hmmmm.”

Drift glanced up, mouthing “What?” His sister’s hair was plastered to her head from the rain, but her eyes glowed dully. The metal beneath her hands was starting to glow red.

“Door.” Umber replied cryptically, her eyes still on the fox.
The dog’s eyebrows furrowed, and he too turned, scanning the wall. What door? There was no door…

What the…

“It’s one of those octipical illusions.” Kita explained solemnly.
“That’s optical, sweetheart.”
“Nu-uh.”
“Yeah-huh. Ask your father.”
“Daddy?”
“It’s optical, Kita.”

Drift squinted. Still no door. But the fox was still pacing, and after a moment his eyes naturally reverted back to the moving object. That’s when he saw it. Clear as day, once you knew how to look right… It was a door, built into the wall... But you couldn’t look directly at it…

He gasped, a sharp intake of breath. That door…

For one heart stopping moment the fox froze, glancing about and muttering to himself, ears flat against his head. But he did not see them and soon resumed his pacing.

Slowly Drift noticed something remarkable- the door was opening, first just a crack, then all the way. The blackness might as well have been the entrance to another world.

The fox paused again, and then nervously skittered towards the opening, not noticing the figure standing just to the side of this door until it was too late.

Drift looked up immediately, but it was just as he thought. No-one was there, only the fire escape and its bent bars, hissing as the rain hit them.

Umber, no.

“Umber, NO!”

The wolf turned slightly, but then threw a fireball straight at the fox. He yelped as he was hit and flew backwards several feet, landing in a puddle, which, along with the rain, extinguished the flames effectively. But he didn’t get up, and Drift guessed he was either stunned or unconscious. Dead was also a possibility, but he didn’t really buy it.

“Blaine?” grunted a voice. A bear’s head poked out of the doorway, only to be met with another fireball.

Now or never, Drift thought, catching the side of the dumpster and vaulted out and over it, soggy coat flapping behind him. He hit the ground with a splash, having landed in a puddle, drawing his sword and running.

In these few seconds, the bear had retreated back into the building, and Umber stepped into the building, pausing to leave several muddy boot-prints on the unconscious fox’s back before entering, Drift right behind her.

“If this isn’t it, I don’t know what to tell you.” She said, sounding extremely pleased. Not with the fact that they had found it, but in her usual fashion- she could start burning things now. Drift realized suddenly that this was the only reason she had wanted to help him…

The building was huge, and lighted, a relief. The upkeep wasn’t the best… but compared to the other, abandoned warehouse…
A staircase wound up several floors. Wooden beams supported the ceiling. The wolf especially noticed this, a wide smile on her face.

“You have a half hour.” She said, “Before I raze this place to the ground. Don’t get caught in the crossfire. What a shame that would be.” She added as an afterthought, then with a final sneer darted up the stairs, leaving Drift to frown angrily, teeth gritted.
But there was no time to dwell on that. He had a job to do.

Find them. Get out.
...What about Umber?

“She’ll live. If not, good riddance.” he muttered to himself. But first things first; It’s a huge building. Drift ran a hand through his short hair, then took off into a nearby hall, ignoring the doors on either side. He could search all day and not find them in those rooms… Besides… They were probably locked.

It was not long before he got company- a large cougar, walking innocently enough down the hallway. Before he hardly knew the dog was there Drift had him pinned against the wall. The large cat was bigger than him, but he did have a sword…

“What the-!” the cougar roared, reaching for his belt, but the cold blade pressing against his neck shut him up. The cat’s frantic yellow eyes flickered, resting on Drift’s crescent markings. “You’re that Louden guy!” he sputtered, relaxing his hand.

Drift’s heart gave a leap. They knew him. That meant…

“Where are they?!” he snarled, voice deadly. The big cat shook his head frantically, trying to look defiant but doing a bad job of it.

A distant thud was heard from upstairs.

Drift frowned, and dug the sword in with a bit more force, the sharp edges cutting the cougar’s neck shallowly; small beads of blood began to drip down.

“I will not hesitate to finish this job. If you won’t tell me I’ll vent my frustration out on you before finding one of your smarter buddies to tell me where they are.” He snarled, lip curling. He did not want to kill the man... But for them... If this guy was all that was standing in his way, he better look out.

“So you’re a mercenary?” Coyote asked, “Is that like a soldier?”
More like a bounty hunter, my boy… Or a glorified assassin...
“Sure...”
“So what do you do, Dad?”
I fight and kill for money.
“Well, special assignments…”

If his words had no effect, then the look in his eyes, blazing green, surely did. “I’ll do it.” He warned, canines glittering, putting some more pressure on the blade.

The cougar decided this Looney was not kidding, and winced with pain. “Oh… kay… Top floor. Room 236-“

“Keys?” Drift snarled.

“Oh y-yeah… On my b-belt... Little... silver one.”

Another thud from upstairs. He’d better hurry.
The canine snatched the keys from the guard’s belt and then glared at him.

“Where’s Mercurios?”
The big cat looked shocked, his yellow eyes gone completely wide, “B-boss? He’s not-“

This is taking too long!
Drift slammed the cougar against the wall, finding a pressure point on the cat’s neck, causing him to slump against him. The dog allowed him to drop to the floor, and then glanced around, pocketing the keys. He backtracked it to the stairs and climbed up hurriedly, ears trailing after him. As he climbed, there was another thud, and a sound that was suspiciously like laughter… and shouting… He narrowed his eyes and increased his pace.

Sure enough, as he rounded the corner, there was a very distinct smell of burnt fur. Smoke was drifting out of the hall. The dog broke into a run down the empty hallway, watching the room numbers flash by. It was a miracle he didn’t run into anyone, but then again, Umber was probably occupying all of their time…

200…203…205…207…
Come on…
230…233…234…236!

He skidded to a halt. The smoke was pretty thick here, and he could see flames flickering down the hallway. Several men ran past him, away from the fire. In their panic they didn’t notice he was an enemy… either that or didn’t care…

Drift fumbled through the keys, searching for the small silver one. There were more than a few, and he went through them hurriedly, heart pounding. Finally, on the fifth try, the lock clicked open!

The dog struggled to open the metal door, but the handle was jammed. With a snarl of effort he slammed his shoulder into the door, putting all his strength behind it.

It finally flew open, and Drift stumbled inside. At first he was aware of only darkness, and then a quartet of figures threw themselves at him, clutching his legs with such force he almost fell over.

“DAD!”

He awkwardly tried to hug them all, suddenly beaming, when a fifth figure came out of the darkness and joined them. Miranda. Drift included her in the hug and then pulled away, looking down at her.

“Are you all okay?”

“Now we are.” She said with a smile, tears gathering in her eyes. “I knew you would come for us.” He noticed there was a bruise just below her eye, like the underside of a bird’s wing, marring her perfect face, and this troubled and angered him, but now was not the time.

He could feel the fire’s fevered warmth radiating from down the hall.

“What about you guys?” he asked his children, who looked scruffy but unharmed.

“We were scared.” Said Kita slowly, hugging her rock Sausage. Cora, Krystal, and Coyote nodded in agreement. Drift marveled that she was able to hold onto it through such an ordeal.

“Let’s get out of here.”

This, coincidentally, was easier said than done.

-------------------------

Suddenly there was an explosion, throwing fiery boxes and men about like bits of driftwood in the ocean.

Umber had found the boiler room, and with that, the gas tanks. At the moment she was looking fancifully at the radiator heater, a monster of a machine filled with so much oil that it would surely start the chain reaction that would make this place go down in flames…

Well, more than flames. Flaming projectiles of rock more like. She set several boxes on fire just by waving a hand, and then slipped up the basement stairs. A weasel ran frantically past her, barely even noticing the chestnut lupine, but she tripped him and he went tumbling down into the blackness of the basement.

She was cold-hearted and cruel… but not heartless…
After all, he’ll have about ten minutes to get out anyways, she thought with a malicious smile.

----------------------------------

They were outside at last. The cold rain continued falling, but now it was welcome, compared to the inferno inside. The building was smoking badly, and some flames could be seen. But it was worse in there. Much, much worse…

The way there had been relatively simple. Many guards had run past in panic, though only a few stopped to pick a fight
However, his sword, and the hand that held it, was dripping with blood. One of the guards had pulled out a gun, and the canine had no choice but to do a grisly number on him. Right in front of the kids too… But Miranda had covered their eyes and closed hers as well so hopefully they didn’t see... too much…

The family was all alone on the dark rainy street, none of the usual watchers and wailing fire trucks that would be here on normal circumstances. It was an eerie feeling.

Suddenly a figure materialized behind the sheet of flames inside the door. Drift pulled out his pistol and turned the safety off with a faint click, determined to make this a clean kill if they so much as looked at Miranda or the pups.

His wife gasped a bit, and hurriedly covered their eyes, holding them close and squeezing hers shut also. But it was only Umber, sauntering out of the fire completely unharmed, and looking pleased with herself.

When she saw the family, she frowned deeply, not at the gun, but at them.

“Pity. I thought you all died.”

“Nice to see you too.” Drift growled, putting away the pistol.

Umber shrugged, throwing a dirty look at his family.

Miranda opened an eye, and seeing only Umber, released the pups and they stared up at her. “Drift, what is she doing here?” The pink dog asked.

He opened his mouth, but Cora butted in, “Hi, Aunt Umber!” she said cheerily with a wave, the friendly gesture more than a little bit out of place.

Umber scowled, then raised a hand in return, before starting to walk at a very fast pace away from the building. “Oh, by the way, that’ll be sky high in a couple minutes...” She said before disappearing down an alleyway.

“WHAT?!” Drift yelled, completely caught off guard, and more than a little angry and scared that if they had taken any longer in getting out… Or had gotten lost…

“You heard her.” Said Coyote blankly, watching the fire with interest.
His father sighted, “Let’s hurry then.” He sighed uncertainly at them, and helped Miranda herd the pups away from the building.

They were across the street and half a block away when suddenly out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement.

Something had crawled out of the window, a wolf from the looks of it.

Mercurios.

Drift, forgetting everything in this sudden development, sprinted towards him, leaving his family behind, only aware of the rage in his heart and his sword clutched in his hand. Their cries echoed on dead ears.

“DRIFT!”
“DAD!”

He lunged for Mercurios with a cry, sword ready, but the wolf turned at the last second and so his sword just punched through cloth, his fist also only getting a handful of coat. And he saw the wolf’s face, stopping dead, barely aware that in his shock he had dropped Elemental and it had fallen to the sidewalk with a metallic clatter.

He was young…

“You’re his son?!” he yelled incredulously, still numbly gripping onto his coat. “You’re-?!” The wolf turned, and delivered a swift punch to his face.

Miranda shrieked from far off, and the pups screamed.

Drift lost his grip, and fell to the ground in a crumpled, dazed heap. His snout hurt, and his nose was bleeding. Still, he leaped almost immediately to his feet.

“YOU’RE HIS SON?!” he bellowed, unable to say anything else.

Mercurios’s “son”, turned and ran back towards the building; A foolish attempt at escape. Drift took the first step of pursuit, but just then there was a deep ominous rumble as something inside the building exploded, then another, and another, until finally there was one great explosion.

Luckily he was shielded by a line of cars, but he was still thrown to the ground, bits of glass and rock raining about him, and somehow he found Miranda and the kids and hugged them close, well aware that they were crying but unsure if he was or not.

[STARLING]

EPILOUGUE

Dear Vixcy,



How are you dahling? I’m soooo happy to be at Mystery Island for a vacation! I’m really sorry you couldn’t come, but make sure you keep up with all the latest gossip back home for me, and get ready to tell it all! I’ve seen some really cute guys! I gave a bunch of them your number, so expect some calls! Too bad I’m married though, cause some of them are sooo cute (heh heh... But not as handsome as Drift!)

Your brother is such a sweetheart, after that whole ordeal he just whisked us over here! I guess it’s how Drift apologizes, although he already has so much… Poor Baby… I know he feels bad, but we’re all safe right? So no worries! And he’s being doing so much less of his “merc work” which is FANTASTIC! I love him so much!

He worries a lot about that Mercurios guy but he’s dead right? I mean they never found his body sooo… I really don’t get what he’s worried about... All well… It was an explosion after all... I’m sure we won’t be troubled again!

Oh, the kids are doing great! Krystal and I go shopping every day, and we’ve even gotten the others to come sometimes! I have so many CUTE outfits to show you, and your souvenirs! Coyote is just getting so good at drawing, and Kita has one of those hula skirts for her pet rock, it’s quite cute! Cora’s gone snorkeling already!

And how is Umber doing? Don’t let her see this, but every since the kidnapping she’s been… different... I’m not sure how to explain... Ah well, she’s pretty strange anyways…

Well, I’ve been keeping you too long! I’ll see you in a few weeks! Wish you were here! Say hi to everyone for me!
~Stay Beautiful!

Love xoxoxoxox,
Miranda

[Jukebox]

It's really cool, Starling ^^! I ould have such a hard time writing something like this. I'm kind of curious about this Mercuios character, but yeah.

I know you had to change the species for school, but what's the bear and fox. I think I got everything else but those. I'm under the impression a bear is a yurble for some reason and a fox is an aisha...

[STARLING]

Thankyou! LOL, it was really no problem. Once I get going..
Mercurios isn't a created Neopet, but he does exist in other rps, if you ever get to know Drift well enough ;D

I just randomnly created them, lol. xD Just to have different animals xD But I guess It'd be a yurble.. and maybe.. Idunno? xDDDD

[Jukebox]

Actually there is. It's a green kacheek.

Lol, ok ^^. I was just trying to be smart and figure it out XD.

[STARLING]

Oh xD Well I don't own him. You know what I mean by not created. Just kinda a charrie to pop out >3

Yus, lol. I suppose the fox could be a kacheek.. They look vaguely fox like xDDD

[Jukebox]

Ok....

yeah, so I was randomly thinking today, and I thought of The Deadlands (probably thinking of NaNo at the time or something), and I realized that MErcurious vaugly reminds me of StarWolf XD.

[STARLING]

Really? LOL. x3
It kinda does, but I put it with the "merc" in "mercenary", which Drift is, and so is StarWolf.
Drift being a mercenary was kinda inspired by Starfox, you caught me! XD

[Jukebox]

I didn't think of it all like that, pretty much the whole 'grey wolf' thing, added to the merc part made me think of it. So yeah, Starfox is awsome though.