The Shade

[PepsiWhirda]

Miles away, Dobson of Darkshire awoke in darkness. He was in a small room, lying on the floor. Nyx's great cat purred beside him, regarding him warily. He sat up, cracking his neck.

Dobson felt better than he had in months. The professor's salve hadn't just cured him of the undead contagion, it had allowed him some much needed, uninterrupted rest.

"How long has it been?" he wondered aloud. Nyx and Whirda couldn't afford to delay their mission. The shade had to be killed. Darkshire needed its protector back.

He walked outside, rubbing his shoulder where the wolf bite had been. Thanatos padded behind him protectively. "Nyx?" he ventured warily. "Whirda?"

No answer.

"What is going on?" Dobson said.

The cat nudged his leg with a massive paw.

"Yeah, what?" He turned and looked down at the beast.

Thanatos couldn't speak, but the jerk of his head and the doleful look in his eyes communicated all it needed. Nyx and Whirda had gone to the den without him.

"No," Dobson murmured. "They wouldn't... I have to help them."

Thanatos growled his accord, enunciating the urgency of the situation with another jerk of his shaggy head. The cat crouched low, allowing Dobson to scramble atop his back.

He did a quick inventory. Sword, check. Shield, check. Terror, oh, definitely.

"Let's go."

Wasting no time, the cat streaked off across the plain, desperate to be at his master's side again.