~Wheel In The Sky~

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The following contains content of an adult nature, including, but not limited to, adult

language and content and fantasy violence.

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ASH and the others stumbled along a small path through the dense forest. Caitlin had brought the three companions to this world three days before and all they had seen was forest. Three days and still no sign of the village that Ash was sure existed amongst these trees. Ash walked in front of the other two, and Sarah was in the back. Ash's right paw was gripped around the hilt of his sword. Sarah carried her compound bow in her left paw and held an arrow with her right, ready to be loosed at a moment's notice. Caitlin walked between the two. She clutched the wooden recurve bow that had belonged to the leopard Jake O'Connell, whose soul they were tracking. The three furs came to a seemingly impenetrable wall of trees. Sarah and Caitlin waited as Ash tried to find a way around the wall of intertwining trunks of the trees. He came back shaking his head. He turned to face the wall and stood with his paws out in front of him, palms out. Blue energy began to pulse over the fur of his arms, starting at his palms and running up his arms. The symbols hidden in the fur on his right arm began to glisten with energy. The blue waves of energy suddenly rippled down his arms and exploded from his paws. The wall of energy washed over the wall of trees. The trees swayed, but remained.

Sarah cleared her throat. "That was anticlimactic."

Smirking, Ash clenched his paws into fists. The trees that made up the impenetrable walls began radiating the blue energy. Ash quickly pulled his arms out to either side. The trees blossomed into bright blue explosions as the energy erupted outward and flowed out to wash over the entire area. Ash glanced back over his shoulder at the two felines. Caitlin stared at the area once blocked by trees with mouth agape and eyes bulging. Sarah cocked her left eyebrow and nodded that she was indeed impressed by the display. Ash smiled and turned and led the way through the pathway he had created. Blue energy continued to effuse from the brightly glowing symbols on Ash's arm. Ash walked for a while longer before stopping under the shade of a large oak tree. Sarah and Caitlin came up beside him. The young lioness moved to sit down at the base of an adjacent tree. A small bird flitted down out of the tree and landed on her left shoulder. Ash glanced over and gave her a small smile. Another, smaller bird came down from a high branch and rested on the end of Caitlin's muzzle. Ash's smile widened. Sarah bent down to look at the bird perched on the lioness' nose. A rustling in the bushes behind them startled the birds. The two avian creatures spread their little wings and took off into the afternoon sky away from Ash, Sarah, Caitlin and the rustling bushes.

Caitlin rose from the ground and moved to stand behind Sarah, who had strung an arrow in her compound bow and was aiming into the bushes. Ash walked up from where he had been standing and peered into the bushes. He held a sword in his right paw. It was not the same single edged katana that lacked a cross-guard he usually carried. This sword was very nondescript. It had a simple circular hilt that was about twelve inches long and an inch in diameter and wrapped in black leather with silver caps on top and bottom. The blade itself was straight and came to a sharp point. It was double-edged, had a lenticular cross-section and was roughly a meter in length. Ash put his left paw under his right and latched his fingers tightly around the black grip. He pulled his right hindpaw back and stood with the sword held close to his head, blade pointing straight up. The way he stood, Sarah could easily launch an arrow over his shoulder without fear of harming him.

"We know you're there!" Ash's blue eyes bored into the bush. "Come out."

The bush gave another rustle and then a small four-legged animal came skittering forth, frantically searching for a hiding place. Sarah let out a low chuckle and lowered her bow. Caitlin sighed and stepped out from behind the leopardess and moved to stand beside Ash. Caitlin looked up at Ash, but the stern look had not left his face and his paws had not loosened their grip of the sword. Caitlin opened her mouth to ask a question, but she was cut off by more rustling from the bush. The rustling was louder this time and coming from not only the bush they watched but other bushes and throughout the trees. Caitlin sidestepped closer to Ash and grabbed a pawful of his shirt as if it would provide her security. Myriad small mammals and birds exploded from the bushes and trees. The smallest animals rushed along the ground, between legs and over the tops of shoes. Birds of all sizes came swooping down out of the trees, soaring mere inches away from grazing Ash and the others' faces.

"Something's got these creatures frightened." Ash said as he stepped closer to the bush.

Sarah restrung her bow. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and saw that whatever it is, it's not us. What do you want to do?"

"We could go check to see what did frighten these animals." Ash shrugged as he looked at Sarah and then back into the foliage.

Caitlin stepped around Ash and looked up into his face. "Honestly, I'd much rather go find it before it finds us."

Ash nodded to her. She got back behind him as Ash started for the bush. He stepped into the bushes, walking slowly for a good while before emerging onto another natural path through the trees. Ash stopped and looked up the path, swiveling his ears to try and catch some sound drifting down the lane. He looked the other way, ears still turning left and right. Nothing. The forest had gone utterly silent except for the sound of a light breeze winding its way through the leaves and branches of the trees. Ash stood rooted in place for a few minutes trying to decide which direction to go. He had not figured that there would be a path of any kind and that they could continue straight, but now he was not sure. Caitlin moved around Ash and walked to other side of the path. The young lioness knelt down and stared into the trees. Her ears tipped forward then she stood up and looked over her shoulder. She motioned for Ash and Sarah to follow then set off into the forest. Sarah leapt past Ash before he got two steps. She, too, disappeared into the foliage.

"Wait, Caitlin! Sarah!"

Ash took off after the two felines. Ducking under low branches and vaulting over fallen trees, Ash made his way forward until he nearly ran into Sarah from behind. He slowed his pace and moved to stand beside the leopardess. He turned to face her and was about to ask a question when Sarah took him by the shoulder and maneuvered him to look out into another small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, a fox sat huddled against a tree, panting. This fox was unlike any Ash or the others had seen before. At its full height, the fox was just barely as tall as Caitlin. He walked slightly hunched forward and his hind legs were built more along the lines of the average four-legged fox. The fox's arms more closely resembled Ash's own limbs but the paws were different. The fingers were shorter and the claws appeared longer and more deadly. The vulpine's fur was a deep orange color, but the fur on its left arm and leg seemed as though it had a reddish tint to it. Ash stepped further into the clearing and he saw why the arm and leg seemed so red. The fox's arm and leg had been ripped to shreds. Ash could see muscle and torn tendons and, in some places, exposed bone. Blood continued to flow from the open wounds.

"He's been attacked." Ash slowly put his sword on the ground and moved towards the fox, arms to the side and palms open. "I'm not gonna hurt you." The fox continued to shrink away from Ash, but it did look up into Ash's face. Ash caught the frightened and hurt look in the fox's golden eyes. Gold!? "Micah!" Ash took a quick step backward in surprise. His right hindpaw landed on the round hilt of his sword. The sword shifted and deposited Ash on the hard rocky ground. Ash rolled over to plant his paws on the ground so he could get up, but his eyes caught sight of two more foxes underneath another tree, one male and one female.

The male was larger than the fox that reminded Ash of his younger brother. The fox had numerous lacerations across his chest and defensive wounds on his arms and paws. The fox's eyes were wide open in horror, revealing their green pigment. Ash looked down at the canid's throat, which had been violently ripped open, the jugular and carotid spilling their contents onto the reddening fur of the fox's chest. Beside the fox, the vixen lay flat on her stomach in a pool of her own blood. She had similar defensive wounds as the fox, but hers were fewer in number. Four deep gashes, running parallel to each other, stretched diagonally downward from left side to right hip. Her head looked as if it had been snapped backwards and one ear had been bitten off. A quick glance around showed Ash that the ear was not present there. Whatever attacked them must have eaten it? The vixen's eyes were closed, but Ash knew what color they were. They're light blue. Just like Mom's. Ash stood and glance around the clearing once more, as if he was looking for something. If they're my parents and Micah, then where am I? He glanced around the clearing once more, his brow furrowed.

"Where's Caitlin?" Ash took a step towards Sarah. Sarah started to rise from the trail of blood she had been examining, when a scream tore through the silence. Ash scooped up his sword and ran in the direction of the exultation. "Stay here!"

Ash ran through the forest, swerving around trees and stooping to avoid low branches. He heard another scream. Putting on a burst of speed, Ash turned right, ever so slightly, and continued running. As he neared the origin of the scream, Ash's fox ears began picking the sounds of panting and sobbing. There was another sound that joined in the chorus of pants and sobs. The sound was a low, menacing growl. Ash shuddered to think what sort of creature produced that sound. He burst through the verdure and hurled his sword through the air. The blade passed between two shapes and lodged in a tree, the hilt wobbling in the air between them. One of the shapes was Caitlin. She must have tripped and fallen over backward. Her right ankle had become entangled with some sort of vine snaking along the ground. Over her stood another fox, also walking digitigrade. The claws at the ends of his short fingers were extended to their full length and drenched in blood. Caitlin's? No. The blood red coating over the fur around the fox's muzzle and down his neck and chest told Ash that this was the animal that had attacked the fox family. Ash gave a loud bark to draw the canid's attention. The fox immediately turned and lunged at Ash.

"Uh-oh."

Ash stepped forward and struck the fox on the underside of its jaw with the heel of his paw. He drove his knee up into the feral fox's stomach, winding him. Ash stepped around the fox and moved to the tree that his sword protruded from. In one swift motion, Ash pulled the sword from the tree and flourished the blade, arcing it downward to slice through the vines around Caitlin's ankle.

"GO!"

Caitlin jumped up and took off back towards the clearing where Sarah and the injured fox waited. The feral fox in front of Ash rose and turned to face him. It charged Ash with its head held aiming for his stomach. Ash swung his sword and, though it barely missed the fox's bowed head, the blade past over his left shoulder blade, slicing off the topmost layer of muscle, skin and fur. The vulpine cranium crashed into his gut, forcing him backwards into the tree he had pulled his sword from. The fox continued to pressed Ash back. Catching his breath, Ash seized the fox's right shoulder in his left paw and drove his knee up into the beast's chest. A guttural sound escaped the feral fox's tightly closed muzzle, but it did not let go. Ash repeated the assault until the fox's grip loosened enough that he could push it back. Still clutching the fox's shoulder, Ash brought his sword up pommel first. There was a sickening crack when the silver end cap connected with the side of the fox's head. Ash shoved the fox backward and brandished his sword once again. This time, he brought the blade curving down from over his right shoulder. The blade, which had begun to glow pale blue, sheared of more flesh from the animal's right arm.

The fox jumped back, howling in pain. The agonized wails fill Ash's ears, deafening to the soft sound of rustling bushes at the edge of the temporary arena. Ash took a cautionary step towards the feral beast. A twig snapped under is hindpaw and drew attention of the fox. The vulpine assailant launched at Ash. He dropped and rolled left and rose into a kneeling position. The feral fox's face was an inch away from Ash's own. Damn, he's fast! The world seemed to freeze as the fighters' eyes locked for a brief second. The fox's eyes were blue. But, not just any blue, they were the exact same shade as Ash's own eyes. The fox's paws shot out and the fingers wrapped around Ash's throat. The two combatants rocked back. Ash rolled onto his back and, with his hindpaws, pushed the fox off of him. Ash jumped to his hindpaws and pivoted around to face the feral animal. He nearly lost his balance. He noticed that the pants of the fox had been joined by his own labored breathing. He was exhausted. This can't be a good sign.

The fox launched towards Ash, claws slashing and fangs gnashing. Ash duck under the first two or three slashes, but got hit by the next slash to come around as he straightened up. The claws dug into the flesh of Ash's left shoulder. As the fox drew back its paw, four parallel lesions running down to just below his left pectoral muscle. Blood coursed from the wounds, spilling through the fur on his arm and chest and down the front of his shirt. Ash glanced at the wounds on his shoulder then looked back at his attacker. When he started losing feeling in his arm, he turned his eyes back on the wound. It had not healed and showed no signs of starting now. Damn. That can't be good. The fox leaned in and swiped at Ash again. Ash back stepped and swept his sword between them at waist level. He brought the blade swinging back on a path to split the beat's head from its shoulders. The fox ducked and rushed at Ash, plunging his shoulder into Ash's abdomen and pushing him to the ground. The air rushed from Ash's lungs as he crashed to the hard forest floor with a hundred and eighty pound animal on top of him.

Ash could have pushed the fox off of him easily if he was not exhausted and his left arm not useless. He drove the pommel of his sword into the fox's side repeatedly until the animal rolled off of him. Ash rolled up onto his right side and gasped for air. He pushed himself upright and rose to his hindpaws. Claws suddenly dug into the flesh of his back and gouged out four deep furrows coursing down to the small of his back. Gritted his teeth against the pain, Ash reversed his grip on his sword and stabbed backwards. He heard the squelching sound of the blade piercing the fox's flesh and push through the jut from its back. Blood spilled from around the blade and matted the fox's fur to its body. Ash retracted the blade and tried to straighten up. His knees buckled and he fell forward. He only managed to keep himself up right by stabbing the sword into the ground and using it like a cane. The tremendous pain caused his vision to blur and his entire body was trembling.

The foliage parted behind Ash and a half dozen human males rushed into the area. They were armed with crossbows, swords and spears. Ash stood as best he could and swung his sword around, the fox's blood flying off the steel blade in droplets. One of the men easily batted away Ash's attacked with his own sword. The blade went tumbling out of Ash's paw and disappeared into the underbrush. A second man stepped in and swung his balled fist, catching Ash under his jaw. Ash staggered away and fell to the ground. Two more men arrived carrying chains and manacles. They seized him by the wrists. He tried to fight back, but had not the strength to break their hold on him. The two men pulled his arms behind his back and secured the fetters around his wrists. The clapped a metal collar around his throat and pulled him up right by the metal chain affixed to it. As they pulled him up, Ash caught sight of Sarah standing in the shadows of a tree with an arrow strung in her bow. He gave her a barely imperceptible shake of his head. She nodded to him as she lowered her bow and melted back into the shadows.

The men pulled Ash along and led back the way they had come. Soon, Ash saw a high wall rising before him. Just like the one in the vision. Ash knew he had found the village where he would find one of his furiends. But, who would he find? Would it be Cole? Or Jake, or Cassie, that would be the one he would save? And, most importantly of all... Am I too late? Ash began to wonder if the mysterious assassin that had butchered Cole had been here already. The large gates of the village swung back to admit the group of men with Ash in tow. Ash stumbled through the gateway, surrounded by the eight men that had ambushed and chained him. His eyes drifted around the stone paved plaza. The square began to slowly fill with humans, both male and female, of all ages, shapes and sizes. Ash scanned the square. His eyes settled on a tall man with short salt and pepper hair wearing a long black coat with a purple trim. Ash recognized the coat as being a cassock like those worn by certain church officials. Around his waist, the man wore a purple sash tied over his left hip, the tails hanging down almost to the ground. The cleric turned his head to speak to the man standing beside him and Ash saw a small purple cap on the top of his head.

Ash pulled his eyes away when the man holding the chain gave it a sharp tug. A stone building loomed before Ash. The door opened and a young man stepped out. Ash figured the man to be about his age. He had shoulder length brown hair that was streaked with golden blond. The man's brown eyes locked with Ash's for a brief second as his captors ushered him in the door. The wide-eyed gaze on the male's face was one of mixed surprise and recognition. The man holding the chain pulled Ash further into the building. The man at the door saw the deep gashes in the fox's shoulder and back and cringed. The man with the chain pulled Ash down a narrow winding staircase, flanked by two of the other men carrying swords. One of the armed men opened a heavy metal door as the other two removed the collar and manacles. They shoved Ash through the doorway into a dark room under the building. He stumbled and fell to the floor. Ash heard the door come to and the sound of a large lock being secured. A dungeon.

"Now, I know how Edmond Dantès felt."

Ash looked around the room. The only light in the room came from a small barred window set in the far wall where the wall met the ceiling. Ash could see the legs of humans as they walked by outside. Ash pulled himself up as best he could and staggered to the wall where the small window. He leaned on the wall with his right arm and slid to the floor. I'll show them. I'll bleed on their floor. A low whimpering drew Ash's attention to the corner furthest from the window. He looked around and saw four pairs of eyes peering out of the shadows at him. It took all of his strength, but Ash managed to create a burst of blue energy that illuminated the room for a brief time. The owners of the gazing eyes were four wolves with grey-brown fur. The four wolves, two male and two female, shrunk back from the light, but did not avert their eyes. Both females and one of the males had green eyes, while the other male, the larger one, had blue eyes. Ash looked to the other side of the room and saw a fifth wolf sitting up on his knees with chains around his neck and wrists. This wolf also had blue eyes and covered in scars and his own blood. Ash looked back at the younger of the two females. She met his gaze.

"Hey, Calleigh. Didn't think I'd be seeing you here."

The wolf cocked her head at him. The room started to spin. Ash's vision blurred and he blacked out. The wolf family crept closer to him and stared at him as the ethereal illumination faded and returned the room to its previous state of scarce lighting.

* * *

ASH awoke to the sounds of a key being inserted into the large lock on the door. He heard the key turn then he heard voices outside the door. Ash glanced around the room. The five wolves were exactly where they had been before Ash lost consciousness. He reached up to touch his shoulder and found it bound in bloodstained white bandages. Ash reached behind his back and felt a bandage there as well. How long was I out? A thought struck him. His right paw moved down to his hip where the three crystal knives had been secured. They're gone! The door opened up to admit the man Ash had seen standing in the square wearing the cassock. A large, muscular man followed him. This man wore brown trousers and a black leather tunic. The tunic had not sleeves to conceal the man's massive arms. He wore leather bracers on his arms and carried long whip in his gloved hands. Ash glanced from the man with the whip to the wolf chained to the wall. It did not take a genius to determine the origin of the wolf's wounds. The man in the cassock motioned for the other to wait by the door. The man hung the whip from a hook on his belt and stood with his hands clasped at his back.

The man walked further into the room, stopping momentarily to regard the wounded canine, whose only response was to whimper and look at the man imploringly. The man shook his head slowly as he turned from the bound wolf before moving closer to the other wolves. Ash slid up into a sitting position as he watched the man look over the canid family. As he watched the man, Ash realized that there was something about the man that was familiar to him. He struggled with the thought, but could not determine why he felt he had recognized the man and whom the man reminded him of. The man bent his head forward and closed his eyes. Ash saw his lips moving, but could not hear what he was saying. The wolves looked up at the man with confused stares. The man straightened up and moved away from the wolves. He started across the dank prison towards Ash, who by now was sitting against the wall, keeping himself up by leaning on his good right arm. The man stopped about a meter from Ash's outstretched hindpaws. He bowed his head and began muttering. Is he praying? The man stopped and looked Ash in the face.

"I wish that I could learn more about this creature on my own. But alas, it must be left to the physicians and psychics to discover its secrets." Ash realized that the man was talking to the guard at the door. "This one seems so different from the others of his kind that have come through this room. What I wouldn't give just to be able to talk to one for even the briefest of moments."

"I don't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon."

The man took a quick step back and stopped. "You can speak?"

"Seems like." Ash glanced at the man by the door. "Who's your furiend?"

"He oversees all prisoners. Mayer, would you be so kind and fetch me a chair."

"Yes, Eminence." The man, Mayer, turned and left the room, returning with a chair.

The man sat in the chair, folding his hands in his lap. "So, are you the only one that can talk or are there more of you out there?"

Ash thought for a second before responding. "If there are more like me then I haven't met any." Can't let them know about Sarah and Caitlin. "How about you? That man called you 'Eminence'? There a reason for that?"

"Oh, yes. Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am William Madsen, Archbishop of Terriquet. I serve as both spiritual leader and the administrator of matters that concern the safeguarding of this village. And, to whom am I speaking?"

"Call me Ash."

"Have you no last name? No special titles?"

"Do I look like I should?" Ash forced a smile as he spoke.

"Well, it's just that I had assumed you might have some sort of title given the symbols on you arm. What are those, by the way? Do they hold some special meaning?"

Now Ash really had to think. If he told the truth about his furiend's souls, this man might think him crazy and have him executed. Then again, Madsen may believe him. I don't want to chance it. "They have no meaning past what meaning one gives them."

"Poetic."

"I thought so."

"So, tell me, Ash. What meaning do you give them?"

"To me, the symbols represent a map." Ash paused for a moment. "A map that leads me back home. Back to where I come from. Back to my family." Back to my Calleigh. "They are those I have left behind, those I'm going back to and those I have yet to meet."

"That is a very philosophical view you have there, my friend. I daresay that you think deeper thoughts than some of our own philosophers. They may benefit from speaking with you."

Ash leaned forward a little bit. "Don't do me any favors?"

"Of course, of course. I didn't mean to alarm you in anyway. I was merely commenting on how well educated you seem for such a..."

"Such a what?"

"Forgive me. I meant no offense. It's just that I have never had one of your kind that seemed more... human that even some of the citizens of this village."

The Archbishop fell silent for a moment. Ash looked the man over then glanced to the guard at the door. In his current state, he could get past the old cleric, but would never get by the much larger man called Mayer. Then Ash began to wonder. Why does he feel so weak and his wounds not healing? Nothing had ever stopped his body from healing rapidly since being bonded with Un. What the hell is going on? The chained wolf suddenly let out a long, mournful howl. Mayer moved from his position at the door, pulling the whip from his belt as he went. He stalked closer to the wolf. The man raised his arm and flicked his wrist. The whip lashed out and cracked against the wolf's chest, rending the flesh and spilled more blood down the poor canine's already red chest. The whip struck again and Ash was up off the floor. He rushed towards the man, paws clenched into fists. He crashed into the large human forcing him back a single step.

Damnit.

Ash knew he was in trouble now. Even on his worst of days the man should have been one with the wall after a collision like that. The man took a step forward and embedded his curled fist in Ash's gut, forcing the air from the fox's lungs. The winded fox double over, arms clutched around his abdomen. Mayer raised his arm and brought the back of his hand down across Ash's face. Ash crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. Placing a booted foot on Ash's back, Mayer forced him flat on the ground. Pain shot through Ash, radiating from the gashes running from right shoulder to the lower left side of his back. Madsen rose from his chair and walked over to the pair. He motioned for Mayer to step back. Ash pushed himself up onto his paws and knees. He rocked back on his haunches and folded his left arm across his stomach. He licked away blood that had begun to ooze from a small cut on the side on the side of his muzzle where Mayer had struck him. Madsen walked around to stand before Ash.

"Please, don't try anything like that again. It would be unfortunate if my friend here had to dispose of you. Before we got to know you better, that is."

Ash glared up at the man as he turned and led the other from the dungeon. Once he had caught his breath, Ash stood and turned to the wolf chained to the wall. He wished so badly to be able to help the poor canine. Suddenly, a low noise, almost like a hiss, reached Ash's ears. Ash turned about to find where the sound was coming from. He heard it again. It came from outside the window. Ash moved slowly towards the small, barred aperture. The sound grew louder and more distinct.

"Psst." The voice was small and quiet.

"Hello?"

"Ash?"

"Caitlin!? What are you doing here?" Ash looked out the window and saw only a human girl looking back at him. His brow knitted as he leaned closer to the window. "Caitlin?"

"Yeah, it's me. It's an illusion." She squatted down next to the window. "Sarah wanted to know if you were okay. This was the only way to find out."

"As long as you don't get hurt. Or worse. These people don't exactly seem to like furs that much."

"Why haven't you busted out yet? I've seen the stuff you can do. Like with the trees."

"I wish I could. Something here is weakening me to the point where I can't even heal anymore. I don't know what it is. Anyway, we have to find Jake, or whoever is here. That's even more important than me."

"But, we can't just leave you here?"

"Did I say anything about leaving me? Find them first then get me out."

"Okay."

"All right. Go back to Sarah." Caitlin started to move away. "Caitlin."

"Yeah?"

"They have the knives. I don't know where."

"I'll tell Sarah. We'll find them."

Ash nodded to her as she walked away. He watched her weave through the crowded plaza. She stopped and turned to look back toward Ash. She smiled then simply vanished. There were no bright lights, puffs of smoke or wisps of energy. She was just... gone. Ash sighed and shook his head. He had to realize that Caitlin, though young, was still very capable of taking care of herself. After that almost unfortunate incident last year in the human city of Shambala, Caitlin had taken to learning how to defend herself. Sarah had been her teacher. It suddenly dawned on Ash that he was trying not to get too close to her or Sarah. He lowered his head and rested it against the dank, stone wall. He did not want anything to happen to either of them. And, there was nothing he would not do to keep them from harm, but, still he stayed closed to them. Ash sighed again and turned around. He jumped at what he saw behind him.

Standing in the middle of the room were two furs. Not the proto-furs like the foxes in the woods and the wolves, but like himself. The shorter of the two was a small fox, about half Ash's height. His ears, forearms and shins were coated in jet black fur while the majority of the rest of his body was covered in dark grey fur. The fur that coursed from his nose along the bottom half of his face and down his chest was a light grey. His eyes, through glowing red, did not look menacing. They looked more innocent than any pair of eyes Ash had ever seen. Ash turned his eyes toward the other fur. This one was about as tall as the fox. He was also transparent. But, transparency did not stop Ash from recognizing the fur the moment he saw him. His golden brown eyes, gold fur and bushy brown mane looked the same in death as it had in life. Ash still could not believe his eyes though. He took a step closer.

"Todd?"

The translucent lion smiled broadly. "Hello, Ash. Didn't think you'd be seeing again so soon, did you?"

"I wasn't sure that I'd ever see you again." Ash glanced at the small fox then back at the spirit of Todd Hunter. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you. My young furiend here knows why you're so weak and can't heal. He told me and wanted to tell you."

Ash bent down to look the fox in the eyes. "Why did you want to tell me yourself?"

"My father has terrible plans for this poor town. Whether the citizens are humans or furs, good or evil, none of them deserve what my father intends on doing."

"What's he gonna do?"

"Possess them all."

Ash straightened up and glanced to Todd then back to the fox. "Who's you're father?"

"He's a powerful demon named Durfea. He hates everything on this planet. I don't really think he like his own father that much."

"As strange as this might sound, I've met you father before. I don't like him either." Ash lowered himself to the fox's level again. "And, what's your name?"

"Kordak."

Ash stared into the fox's eyes in disbelief. What Sophiel told him about multiple versions of lesser angels and demons drifted back into his ears. An interesting thought drifted into Ash's mind. What would the Kordak I know think if he knew one version of himself was a pup, who's more compassionate than he is evil? Ash smiled and extended his paw to the young fox.

"Well, Kordak, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ash." The little fox took his paw. "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"My father has opened up a gateway into the abyss directly under the center of this village. It's siphoning off your powers."

"The abyss? As in, Hell?"

Todd nodded his head. "Yes. The bigger that gate gets the weaker and more vulnerable you become. Un only has enough power to keep you from bleeding to death from your wounds. You must find a way to close that gate before it opens fully and an army of demons and other, more unspeakable monsters escape into this world. Again."

"Right. Close a portal to Hell and stop a massive army. No pressure, right." Ash turned and glanced out the small window. "Todd."

"Ash?"

"Your daughter's here."

"What?"

"She's here with me. She's out in the woods with Sarah O'Connell as we speak."

"Well, if she's with Sarah, then she'll be fine."

"Why am I not surprised that you know her?"

"It's worse than that. She was engaged to a cousin of mine for a while. They almost got married, too. We don't really know what happened. They just called off the wedding and stopped seeing each other." Todd smiled to himself. "I remember that she's really good with a bow and arrow and great fun at parties."

"The bow part's right, but fun at parties? Are we talking about the same leopard?"

Todd chuckled again. "Yes, I believe we are. Ex-wife of Victor O'Connell and mother of Jacob Ryan O'Connell."

"Are there no bounds to what you know?"

"Death reveals a lot of things to you."

"Yeah, I've heard it can do that."

"She. Death is very temperamental about being called 'it'."

"I'll keep that in mind." Ash could hear the sound of thick soled boots coming down the stairwell outside the door. "It might not be a bad idea to clear out. They're coming back."

"Yes, good idea. Come, Kordak. I'll take you back to your mother."

Kordak nodded up at the lion then looked back at Ash. "Bye. I wish we could take you with us, but we can't. Telling you about the gate is the best we can do."

"It's enough. Thank you."

Todd and the innocent Kordak turned and started for the door. They faded and disappeared just as the metal swung away from the facing and clanged against the inside wall. The Archbishop returned with Mayer. Behind them came another large man and a smaller woman. The woman seemed slightly unsettled at the sight of the imprisoned furs. She moved off and stood close to the wall as far away from the furs as she could get. Mayer and the other man walked up and took hold of Ash. Mayer clenched his hand over the bandaged wounds on the fox's shoulder sending lancing through Ash's body. He fell to his knees. A third man entered carrying a metal collar attached to a long chain. The collar was fastened around his neck and the chain hooked to the wall. The third man left and returned with two more sets of chains. These were for his wrists. Ash was now frighteningly aware of what was happening. Ash tried to fight against the collar. He lashed out with his claws, hoping they would tear into flesh and spill blood.

Mayer hit Ash hard in the chest with his balled fist. Ash dropped back to the floor. The fetters were secured around his wrists and the last links in their chains affixed to two hooks set into the floor. Ash looked at the chained wolf and recognized the set up. Ash started struggling against the chains. Ever since that time in the barn, he had never liked even the idea of being tied up. Unfortunately, not enough of his strength had returned. The three guards began chuckling at Ash's futile attempts to escape the chains. Ash stopped struggling and glared at the three men.

"I wonder how hard you'd life if your heads were rolling across the floor?"

Mayer stopped laughing and looked at Ash. "As if you could."

He took a few steps back and pulled the whip from his belt. The other two men nodded to the Archbishop as they left the room. Madsen turned to the young woman standing in the corner.

"Kate, my dear, it might be wise to not watch. Bryan likes his job very much and if exceptional at it."

"Yes, Eminence."

The woman, Kate, turned away from the man and the fox and placed her hands over her ears. Mayer pulled his arm back and flicked the whip out. The whip cracked in the air inches from Ash's face. The end of the length of black leather flick one last time at Ash's face and burned a shallow laceration into the left side of his face. The whip cracked again, this time tearing into Ash's right bicep. The whip came down again, slicing through the fabric of his black jeans. Mayer raised the whip high and whirled the leather tail around a few times before letting it lash out. The single tail of the whip struck Ash full across his chest, the metal collar the only thing protecting his jugular vein. Ash gritted his teeth against the pain. He looked away from the man as he continued to strike him with the ship. Instead, he turned his attention on the woman standing in the corner. Her golden brown hair was tied back in a tail that dangled down to the small of her back. With each crack of the whip, Ash saw her flinch.

"That's enough, Bryan. I doubt he's going to be able to resist in his state." Madsen stepped around the jailer. "And, we can't have him dying on us too soon, now can we?"

"No, Eminence."

Madsen nodded to the man. "You can go. Wait just outside." He turned to face Kate. "My dear, we are ready for you."

"Of course, Eminence."

The woman moved from her position in the corner and walked to where Ash was bound to the floor. She stopped in front of him and lowered to her knees. She pressed her hands together as if she were praying then she crossed herself. Ash looked at her and noticed the piercing blue of her eyes. I'll never get used to seeing these other versions of my furiends. He put a furiendly little smile on his muzzle.

"Kate wouldn't happen to be short for Caitlin, would it?"

The woman seemed startled by the question. "Yes, it would."

Ash did not speak, he merely looked away and nodded his head. The dungeon was so quiet that Ash could hear the sounds of the citizens outside in the plaza. The scraping sounds of boot heels on stone. Voices calling through the open air, mothers yelling for children, vendors selling their goods. He heard a pair of shoes scuff just outside the window. His attention was torn from the sounds as the woman placed her hands on either side of his head. She held his head still and looked deep into his eyes. Her blue eyes became eerily focused as she stared at the fox. Ash stared back, but soon began to feel very lightheaded. The room spun and tilted. The people and the other furs set about darting in and out of focus. The room's seven occupants became fourteen as they moved out of focus once more. Ash's brows knitted as his confused stared became an enraged glare. The woman's eyes closed and her hands fell to her lap. Madsen stepped forward and touched the woman lightly on the shoulder.

"What did you see, my dear?" Madsen's voice was low and caring.

"I saw that thing with another like him. A lion. I am not sure where they were."

"What were they doing?"

"It looked like they were talking. Then..."

"Then what, Kate?"

"This one stabbed the other. He murdered the lion. He called the lion... Todd."

Ash looked up at the two humans. The woman had gone very pale and there was sweat streaming down her face. There was a ringing in Ash's ears, but he thought he heard what sounded like somefur turning on their heels and running away from the window. The door to the dungeon opened. Two new humans stood in the doorway. One was the man with the shoulder length brown hair that Ash had seen outside when he was first brought into Terriquet. He carried a large, clay bowl in his hands. The other one, a girl, he had not seen before now. She had long dark hair and caring hazel eyes. In her hands, she carried a tray. The tray contained a pitcher, a bowl and a roll of bandages. The man and the girl walked into the room. They stopped a short distance from the Archbishop and the woman called Kate. They bowed their heads to the man out of respect. Madsen nodded to them then led Kate from the room. Madsen stopped in the doorway and turned to look at the man.

"Jacob. Staunch the bleeding, but do not put bandages on the wounds. It won't matter much longer, anyway. He's to be executed tomorrow morning along with the rest of these vermin."

The man nodded his head. "Yes, Your Eminence."

The Archbishop turned and left the room. The man looked to the woman beside him. They both exchanged agitated glances then continued to move closer to where Ash was chained to the floor. The man bent down first and touched Ash lightly on his left arm. The fox looked up into the man's brown eyes.

"Jacob Ryan O'Connell."

Both of the humans stared back at Ash. The woman seemed rather confused, but an enormous grin spread across the man's face. He began laughing as he rocked back into a sitting position. A smile appearing on her own face, the woman poured some water from the pitcher into the bowl and raised the bowl for Ash to take a drink from. Ash closed his eyes and drank down the water, feeling the cold liquid flow over his tongue and down his throat. The man, Jake, sat forward and filled the bowl full of water. The two of them began dipping rags into the basin of water and washing the blood out of Ash's fur. Ash winced in pain as the humans wiped the blood away from his fresh wounds. The man rose from the ground and walked around to Ash's right. He knelt beside the fox and began looking intently at his right arm. His fingers came up and began to trace the lines of symbols emblazoned in his fur. Ash twitched his arm and pulled it away.

"I'd rather you didn't do that."

"All right." Jacob turned to the woman. "Cassandra?"

"Yes?"

"Can you give us a moment? I'd like to speak with him alone."

The woman, Cassandra, looked from Ash to the man. She looked as if she might refuse, but she nodded and stood. She walked to the door and left, pulling the metal opening to as she exited. The man moved to kneel right in front of Ash.

"Damn, am I glad to see you."

"Jake. I've been looking all over for you."

"I figured when I saw you yesterday. Seeing you really threw me for a loop, there for a sec." Jake covered his mouth with his human hand to stifle a laugh. "How's Cole? And, Cass? Are they all right? Where are they?"

"I... I don't know. I found Cole, but somefur else got to him first and killed him. I haven't come across Cass, yet. You're the first one I've found that wasn't about to die."

"Do you know who it is?"

"No. When I saw him, he was surrounded by shadows. Might not have even been a 'he'."

"Probably an 'it'."

"Probably." Ash glanced at the door. "What did he mean by execution?"

"Guess that means their gonna kill ya. Unless they changed the meaning of execution."

Ash looked around at the small window as best he could. "When I came in, I had a set of three knives with crystal blades. Any idea where they put them?"

"Not really, but I know who to ask. What's so important about these knives?"

"They're what's gonna get you home."

"Right. What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to get those knives and then go into the forest. There's a clearing where you'll find a couple new furiends of mine."

"Okay."

"Yeah, tell the girls I sent you..."

"Girls? As in, plural? Damn, Ash. One female not enough for you?"

"Very funny. One of them is Todd Hunter's daughter. The other... well, you might recognize her. Anyway, one's too young, the other's too old. Just find them. There's a gateway to Hell under this village. That's why I can't heal. You need to find a way to close the gate before they crucify me."

"They won't crucify you. They're probably gonna string you up."

"Well, thank you, that makes me feel so much better." Ash sighed. "Just hurry. Please."

Jake rested his hand on Ash's shoulder. "I'm gone."

Jake got up and ran to the door. He swung it open and darted up the staircase. Ash sighed to himself and looked down at his right arm. He tried concentrating. A blue haze appeared around his arm, but he could not focus the energy into anything that would be useful. He dropped his paw to the floor and lifted his head, staring at the ceiling.

"This is great. Just great."

* * *

ASH opened his eyes and raised his head at the sound of the door latch being unlocked. Mayer entered with a larger group of men then before. There were seven of them total, including Mayer. Mayer carried his whip while the others carried manacles and metal collars. Five of the six men moved to the wolves, latching the collars around their throats and manacles on their wrists. The last man moved to Ash. He was accompanied by Mayer, who readied his whip. Ash did not resist as the man undid his bonds and replaced them with the new ones. Ash and the wolves were led out of the building and into the plaza. Looking around, Ash would have guessed that every citizen in Terriquet was there. Ash turned his eyes towards the sun as it moved upwards toward the sky. In the center of the plaza was a wooden structure that had not been there the day before. He knew what this new apparatus was. It was a newly constructed gallows, just for him and the wolves. Ash found himself growing weaker with every step they took.

"On second thought guys, I think I liked it better back in my cell. Could we go back there? I was really getting use to that collar."

"Keep quiet." Mayer's voice was harsh, but familiar.

"I was just wondering."

The Archbishop stood up on the gallows next to the executioner. His hands were pressed together in front of him and his head was bowed. Pious prick. The procession of furs was lead to the base of a staircase that ascended to the raised platform. The cleric raised his head and lifted his hands towards the sky, palms upward. He looked around at the gathered crowd before him.

"Good citizens of Terriquet. We are gathered here this morning to destroy the unclean beasts that Satan has unleashed upon our beautiful land."

"You've got to be kidding me?" Ash mumbled to himself as he looked around.

"For too long have these creatures wandered our lands. Starting today, we fight back. I have communed with the Almighty, and He tells me that the time of the humans is not at an end. We will make war on these fiends! We will reclaim our planet, which God himself has given unto us!"

A thunderous applause ripped through the cloud. I can't believe they're buying this crap? Members of the crowd closest to the furs turned and began screaming at them. Ash tried to ignore them. He tried to concentrate and focus his energy once again. He shut his eyes tightly and flattened his ears against his head. As sweat began to pour down his face, Ash opened his eyes. Something the young Kordak had told him suddenly leapt back into his mind. His father had opened up a gateway to Hell directly under the center of this village. Ash's eyes darted around town. The gallows was situated in front of a large fountain. The fountain itself was the exact center of the village. Which means Hell is right under my hindpaws. Ash looked back in front of him and saw that the first of the five wolves was being led to the raised platform. It was the oldest male. One man held the poor creature steady as the Executioner slipped the noose around its throat.

The Archbishop crossed himself and bowed his head. The Executioner pulled a lever back and the wolf dropped through a trapdoor. Ash's large vulpine ear heard the bones in his neck snapped as the rope tightened and jerked. In this same fashion the other four wolves were led up the stairs and their lives ended. Mayer and another man grabbed Ash by his arms and began taking him up the stairs to the platform where the Executioner was already resetting the trapdoor. They stood him over the door, removed the collar and put the noose around his neck. Ash tried to struggle for freedom but the men were too strong. The Archbishop moved to stand before Ash. He crossed himself and bowed his head.

"God in Heaven. We have destroyed five of Satan's creations and now we prepare to send another of his servants back to his master. This beast is different from the others. The Son of Perdition has given it an appearance closer to our own, eyes that deceive and a tongue that lies."

"Spare me your hypocritical bullshit! You're not doing this because God told you to. You're doing this because you're afraid. Afraid of the evolution that's taking place all around you and of me! In fact, I'm seriously doubting that God would talk to you if you were that last sentient creature on this planet!"

"Silence, blasphemer!" Madsen's hand came up and struck Ash hard across his muzzle.

Before Ash could respond, a loud crack of thunder exploded through the air. All gathered around the gallows turned their eyes towards the sky, which was darkening. Ash saw that the darkness was not caused by clouds moving in. There were no clouds in the sky. The sky itself had turned completely black with no visible stars. A bright flash lit up the entire area for a brief moment. When the flash subsided, a large disc hover high in the sky above the village. The disc was twenty meters across and was composed of multicolored, translucent energy. The sigil inscribed in the air Ash did not recognize. The center was a symbol Ash knew as the alchemical symbol for the sun, a ring with a dark circle at its center. The alchemical symbol was surrounded by a pentagram within another ring. A seven-pointed star pulsed with purple energy around the inner arrangement. Around these glowing designs was a heptagon and a large ring. There were many runes and markings in the outer ring and the inner ring, with fewer markings in that other parts of the sigil.

As they watched, the individual pieces flared brightly and began rotating. Each piece rotated the opposite direction from the piece around it. The glowing became brighter and the segments spun faster. It suddenly dawned on Ash what it was he was looking at. A devil's trap!? He had never seen one that large before. The size and addition of the alchemical sun symbol augmented the sigils ability to close the gate to hell and trap any demons that might escape. The outer circle stopped abruptly and locked into place. One by one, each segment stopped and locked. When the last part locked, a beam of bright orange light pulsed down from the center of the motif. The beam fell over the fountain and the gallows. The beam past through the stone paving and dug deep into the ground. Hundreds of meters below the surface the beam struck a wide rift. Flames spurted from the aperture and talons clawed at the edges. The shaft of light lanced deep into the pit beyond the gateway. A thunderous roar erupted from the gate as it closed. The roar traveled through the rock of the Earth to shake the village. With the gate sealed, the beam and sigil vanished and the sky returned to blue.

The silence lasted a moment or two before the citizens began talking amongst themselves about what had just taken place before them. Ash twitched his ear and looked down at his right arm. The symbols hidden in his fur began to glow faintly. He turned his head and looked directly at the Archbishop. The glow around the symbols flared and Ash's entire body was engulfed in rolling blue flames. Ahs pulled his arms apart and the manacles around his wrists exploded in a flash of blue light. The Executioner took a frightened step back and threw the lever for the trapdoor. The door fell away, but Ash did not fall. He looked at the man with luminescent blue eyes. He shook his head disapprovingly then took a step towards the edge of the platform. Kicking off from the edge, Ash soared into the air. Looking down, Ash saw men wearing armor running towards the village gates. He turned and flew towards the area where he had battled the fox earlier. He dropped from the sky. Ash landed in the clearing and turned and started running towards where Sarah and Caitlin, and hopefully Jake, were waiting for him. He burst through the trees to find Caitlin sitting with the golden-eyed fox. Jake and Sarah were standing near a tree, speaking quietly.

"Well, don't everyfur jump up at once."

"Ash!" Jake turned and ran towards the fox. "Why didn't you tell me my mother was here?"

"I wanted to surprise you. Now, let's get you home. And, you're just gonna have to trust me on this one."

Caitlin walked over. She held the knives in her paw. Ash turned and smiled at her. The young lioness glared back at him and shoved the knives into his paw. Thinking of the men pursuing him, Ash decided that he would ask her later what was wrong. Ash put his paw on Jake's shoulder and pushed him to the ground. He pulled out the knife with the green crystal blade and held it in his paw. The symbols on his arm glowing brightly once more, Ash plunged the blade of the knife into Jake's chest. Jake gasped in pain. An eerie green glow could be seen emanating from under his clothes. The glow brightened then disappeared. Ash pulled the blade from Jake, the transparent green crystal now opaque and giving off a bright green shine. Ash looked up and smiled, but the grin soon vanished. The human's eyes rolled back in his head and closed. His body went limp and fell over. Ash jumped up and grabbed the human's shirt collar.

"No! Come on, wake up! Wake up! Damn it!"

"Ash!" Sarah called from a short distance away where she stood with Caitlin. "We have to go now."

"But, this can't happen. He has to be all right."

"Ash, there isn't time to stick around and find out." Her voice became gruff and angered. "God damn it! Come on, or we'll leave you here!"

"Shit!"

Ash jumped up and ran to where Sarah and Caitlin stood. Caitlin extended her paws. In a blinding flash of white light, the three furs vanished just as a group of harmed humans rushed into the clearing to find the comatose body of Jacob Ryan O'Connell. Dark clouds began to form overhead as the humans gathered around the body. One of the men walked to the inert form and dropped to his knees. He dropped his helmet to the dirt of the forest floor and cradled the catatonic frame of his son. A green flash lit up the darkening sky and the men turned their eyes skyward. The man beside the boy looked up, tears streaming from his eyes.

~End Wheel In The Sky~