"So why is 'tora so worried about us running into this Doruun character?" You ask your guide, curious about the nervousness the cloud displayed when talking about the Kat. You notice that you're still continuing up the mountain. The area is almost entirely rocks with little vegetation to be seen.
Your guide shrugs, looking faintly nervous himself. "Doruun is a Death type. When he first arrived here he was extremely territorial and had this tendency to kill without provocation. If 'tora hadn't found shortly after her first encounter with Doruun and rushed to the realm healer, she likely would have died. She didn't realize that a "bad" Kat might come to live in this realm."
You blink, as you can practically hear the quotes around the word 'bad'. " What do you mean?" The description you've been given doesn't quite make sense. There were deaths in other realms, why would this carekeeper have a problem with it?
Your guide rolls his eyes, " Up until that point 'tora has lived a completely sheltered life. Ruyumai doted on her, and Tuuan ignored her. She'd been warned about evil Kats at the Ice Plains, but it never occurred to her that one might come here. " He pauses for a moment, then adds, "Well, evil might be a bit strong of a term... But Kats that had something other than good intentions."
You blink, "Oh. " Then it occurs to you, "He's not going to attack us, is he?"
When your guide doesn't answer right away you stop dead, waiting for an answer.
"Well yes, he might. In fact, to be entirely honest, he probably will." Guide holds up a paw to stop the impending freak out from you. "However I've been given an enchantment that should protect both of us from claw, fang, and magic abilities."
"Should?!? What do you mean should?!" You manage to keep your tone from reaching a shriek. Barely.
"Well," he answers sheepishly, " Stranger things have happened in this realm than random spell failure. If you hear any impressively magical sort of noise, get ready to run for it."
"WHAT?!" The rest of your commentary on the subject is cut off by a quiet voice.
"Death Wave."
With a name that ominous, you're expecting some big and fiery wave of destruction. The gray mist seeping across the ground towards you isn't quite what you imagined, but decidedly sinister just the same. Just as you are ready to start panicking the black haze stops, flowing around you and your guide in a perfect circle that ends just beyond your feet.
A black shadow slinks out from behind a rock. Scars and white markings cover the black pelt. Something that looks suspiciously like a claw hangs from a chain on his neck and his mane is white with highlights of blue and red.
" I never get tired of that." The voice of this scarred up warrior isn't quite what you expected either. A sibilant hiss maybe, or a rough growl, not this rich rumble that's as much amusement as malice. Where does such a voice even COME from in such a scrawny Kat?
"Well, " he admits, " having the pair of your suddenly fall to the ground paralyzed would be preferable, but the expressions on your faces is definitely worth the trouble. "
Doruun, for this must be he, slides a little closer. He's standing far too close for comfort when he lazily lifts a paw and slashes it at your knee. You flinch, dancing backwards, but the paw bounces off absolutely nothing at all a short distance from your person. The death male doesn't look too terribly surprised by this result, he simply shrugs at you and moves to stand a slightly more comfortable distance away. His "friendly" grin lets you know he caught your sudden sigh of relief as he moved away.
"The shield is still working." Guide states the obvious in a tone usually reserved for informing idiots of their absolute stupidity. "A little hard up for entertainment, are we Doruun?" His earlier apprehension has disappeared now that the situation has returned to the familiar ground of wordplay.
"So I see. I'll take what I can get around here," Doruun says in a dry sort of tone that makes it obvious he's dealt with this banter dozens of times.
"Well, we can't have you killing off the Wanderers that come to visit. It's bad for PR." Guide says stoutly.
"Pity, " the death replies with an easy shrug as he turns to amble back into his shadows.
"Shall we send your love to Onraa if we see her?" Guide asks, his usual easy amusement returning with a decidedly sharp edge that you don't understand.
The narrowing blood red eyes of Doruun as he turns around to glare at the fox makes you realize your guide is needling something easily three times his size, and has apparently scored a hit. Why exactly that comment would result in this reaction remains a mystery to you, though.
"Some day, that shield will fail you, fox. I'm looking forward to it." Doruun isn't quite so smooth he can deliver that threat in the same amused tone, but you're glad you're not likely to be around when it happens just the same.
Guide leaves the area at a decidedly faster pace than he entered it, but he's got a wild sort of grin on his face that makes you think he's gotten away with something he shouldn't.