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((For a full refresher of what happened in the previous thread, please visit here.))

After the group managed to successfully reach the shed, the sounds of gunshots died out as the remaining soldiers retreated, possibly for more reinforcements after losing so many of their own. Knowing they should not linger long, Hoerwick, Keme, Sarah, Aila, and Jessica made haste deeper into the woods, erasing their tracks and using all methods possible to keep them from being found. Holed up in an very small cave (if you could call it that, it was closer to a random cove in the landscape), injuries were mended and Keme's damage was repaired by Hoerwick. After much exploration for a safer resting area, Keme surveyed the land with a specific program designed to detect imperfections in the terrain. The program was a success. Deep into the woods she found a sinkhole, and once distubed gave way to a small entrance into the ground. After crawling her way in, making some twists, turns, climbing, and sliding, she found a massive cave system. Once past the labyrinth of an entrance, the cave opened up into a huge room, at least 20 feet tall, 50 feet wide, and opened up into several more smaller rooms, some unsafe and marked with debris to remind others to stay out. At least two of the chambers led to exits into the woods, and a few more just dead ends. In all, this was a perfect place to hide.

The group, having seen the brute force of the government to eliminate all non-humans, moved into the cave system (after stripping what they could from the dead soldiers back at the cabin), and decided to make the cave a home base for creatures on the run. A security system was put in place (until surveillance equipment could be obtained, booby traps were the key here), and furniture was added slowly by limited trips into the city. The cave began to look less primitive and more like a home, and even with the lack of natural light, it was perfect.

A few months after establishment, everyone in the group has yet to find another escapee or runaway. The story takes off from a meeting being held in the "Big Room," about possible new places to look, as well as any important information anyone may have gathered.

Sarah examined the map laid out on the table. She scanned it for possible locations. She pointed at a small structure just outside the heart of the city. "I think we should check out the old church that's down the road from that old pharmaceutical company," Sarah offered. The company was well known for its drug tests on both human and animal alike. "They may have done some experiments and some of the escapees may be hiding in the church for one reason or another, sanctuary possibly."

The group agreed, deciding to send as little possible. A group would attract attention. In the end it was decided that Sarah and Keme, having the most experience in dangerous situations, would attempt to look for survivors. Taking an hour or so to prepare, gathering rations, weapons, and ammo, the pair set off cautiously towards the city at dusk, letting the night sky hide their shadows.

After some time, the two hid in the shadows cast by the wall of a dilapidated hardware store. Across the street was the church, its doors barely intact, the moon shining through the shattered pieces of stained glass like a dark piece of art. Looking carefully up and down the street, and deciding that they were not under the watch of surveillance equipment, they made hastily into the church, reluctant to burst into a holy place with guns, but knowing that it was necessary.

((I'm really hating this intro, but if it works, let me know. xD Sorry to just add your character in there, Shadow, playing her in sorts, but I figured she was best for that. If you would like me to change it, please let me know, as well as any other ideas you might have! I think I'm suffering from writer's block tonight. I'll remove this part of the intro when you reply. biggrin ))

((Edit 1/15/09: I added some new storyline to hopefully make it a little more interesting. I decided to bring in another character of mine, and introduce him at this point if it's OK with you, so until we can get more people to join, there will be at least someone else to interact with. Sound OK?))

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I'm trying to get my alt account to post in here to get the ball rolling, but I keep getting this "You cannot reply to this topic" error for some reason. It's annoying me, I reported it in the captain's guild, so I hope it gets fixed soon. I guess until then I can come up with his description and stuff.))

Sarah paused, all of her attention focused on the creature ahead of her. Her gun was already pointed at it, even though she didn't remember doing so.

She almost wanted to laugh. The man had a very loud, clear and commanding voice, and looked like he thought he was bigger than he actually was; a chihuahua with a doberman complex. But here he was, standing at maybe a little over three feet tall. He was stocky and misshapen, and on his slight hunchback was a pair of white feathered wings, the right one much larger than the left one. His left arm was smaller than the right one, and both his legs were short even for his height. He wasn't very attractive; he had a very pronounced uni-brow and unkempt, scraggly black facial hair. His elongated, pointed ears peaked out from behind his curtain of long, uneven black hair. His skin was almost opaque and glowed in the moonlight. He wore a tattered white lab coat, cut off at the bottom to accommodate his stature. He looked basically harmless, despite his demeanor.

"Hello, my name is Sarah, and this is Keme," she said, lowering her gun slightly. "Are you alone here?"

Keme lowered her gun when Sarah did. It was scary sometimes how attuned they were, each took aim with little notice. It was something beyond second nature in this day and age. When the "priest" stepped out and into the moonlight, she felt very tall even with her body having haltered in its aging process. She blinked a few times when the misshapen priest snapped at Sarah, then looked at her demanding an explanation.

"I will not!" Keme said indignantly, "You were rude to my friend!"

Vaguely, she remembered something from her first life: one must never yell at a priest. They are the shepherd of God and you would be punished for lying or getting angry with one. Keme shrugged mentally, she could not imagine Hell to be much worst then what the world was now.

He stopped moving towards her and snorted in derision. "What makes you think I would shelter with someone such as yourself? The Lord has provided me with ample shelter here. Unless you brought those filthy hunters right to my doorstep, I have no need to come with you." He made a shooing motion with his arm in the direction of the doorway.

It was when he heard the faint sound of a click coming from the outside that confirmed he was right. They had come for him, it was the test that He had told him about. As the servant of God, he would show them what he was capable of, what he was blessed with.

He crouched to the ground and closed his eyes. "Oh Lord, bless me with thy strength and grace so that I may smite thine enemies," he muttered softly to himself. He opened his wings to their full span, and beat them to bring him into the air, flying far above them, in an attempt to land behind the intruders.

Keme ducked quickly, her reflexes being slightly quicker than Sarah's, and assumed a kneeling stance with her handgun taking aim at the winged priest. A noise caught the young girl's attention.

"Sarah... We've got company," she said looking about her. She wasn't really using her human eyes, but doing a thermoscan of the area around the church the best she could.

She hurried over to her her friend and helped Sarah to her feet, keeping her gun aimed at the winged man, however, as she did so.

"Hunters," Keme told her friend, "Maybe part of that military group." She did not finish her thought: Maybe part of that military group you are AWOL from, Sarah. She dropped her aim and pulled the grey, dingy, grinning, Cheshire Cat hat down on the right side as she was holding her gun in her left hand.

"I think for now we can assume that our mutual foe will keep the priest from leading us into a trap. For now.." On her face formed a pout that reflected just how young Keme was, before she died. The girl motioned for her friend that they should hurry up before the hunters found them.

Sarah nodded. Nothing was ever easy. She longed for the days of blue skies and no responsibility; days where she could laze around in the family pool, drinking the lemonade that her mom brought her before they ate a wonderful meal of barbecued chicken and corn on the cob on the grill. Now she was eternally running, forced to eat the same bland rations every day. She sighed in discontent and also ran in the same direction the priest went in. One way or another, they had to get him to the base. Trying to remain in the shadows, she quietly ran into the night with Keme.

It wasn't long before she realized that they had made a terrible mistake. As the pair caught up with the winged man, they found him no longer running. Now he stood in the middle of an abandoned intersection, once again raising his Bible to the sky as he shouted a string of words in a language she didn't understand. She stopped short of the scene and ducked behind a burned-out car, pulling Keme with her.

The man was surrounded by hunters, all of them pointing their guns in his direction. There were about five or so, a couple of them looking completely serious, the rest chuckling at the sight of the crazed creature. One hunter looked to the other standing next to him, said something, and the two burst into laughter. The priest turned his attention to them, their outbreak disturbing his chant, as he faltered on a word, tried to continue, and failed. He lowered his bible and crouched down again.

Sarah looked to Keme. "They seem pretty distracted, I don't think they know we're here," she commented, seeing that it was obvious the hunters were looking for the priest, not her and Keme. "I think with their guard down, we might be able to pull this off." She winked at Keme, remembering old times.