HiddenSides(1x1)

[AnnaCat17]

Astra, too, felt herself breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of lily. She pulled her int a tight hug, relieved to see that she at least had not destroyed someones life. "Its good to see you. What are you doing?" She asked as she looked at the bag Lily was carrying. She released her so that she could respond and went back to standing next to Adreal in front of her, looking at her expectantly.

[SecretShadows]

Lily was shocked seeing the two of them but started smiling happily and quickly hugged Astra back as she said: "You guys are okay! I am so glad!" She then let's go and said: "I am looking for Mace, I still havent found him anywhere so far but I think I am getting closer... I hope so anyway." She glanced down at her bag and sighs a little before she asked: "It there a chance he is with you two?" Adreal shook his head and said: "No he isn't we came getting you so that we can go find him."

[AnnaCat17]

Astra bit her lip. She had always known where Mace was. He was right where she found him when she was eight years old and Alistorm had promised to get her a pet that could keep her safe. "If you are ready we can go get him now. It might take a few days to get there but the sooner we leave the better." She said to the pair. If she told them what awaited them she was afraid hat, for Lily especially, it would cause them unneeded stress. Besides, for all she knew it could have been shut down by now.

[SecretShadows]

"So you know where he is then?" Lily said clearly hopeful as she took hold of the hands of Astra and then smiles saying: "I dont care how long it takes let's please just go get him." Adreal smiles a little and said: "Yes she knows, come on let's go, if its a few days we might want to move as fast as we can." He started leaving the forest again but waiting for the two of them to come along as well.

[AnnaCat17]

Astra followed Adreal in silence. Lily's love sick mood was putting her in a bad attitude but now that there was three of them she had to hold her tongue or risk being ostracised even further. She just hoped the next few days would pass uneventfully.

-two days later-

Astra felt sick as she looked at the warehouse. The scent coming from it was putrid, the scent of blood mixing with the thick scent of sweat and grime. It was close to dawn, Astra having hoped that by this time the fighting would be over, but the sound of the werewolves fighting and the crowd cheering still reached the trio where they stood on the sidewalk, having just gotten out of a cab. She didn't want to see this again, to relieve her horrifying childhood memory of when she first met Mace, but she didn't have a choice. She wanted to cling to Adreal, seeking safety in his arms, but she neither deserved to do so nor felt it was a good idea. She left him to tend to Lily as she led the way inside. The building was packed and sweltering. Almost instantly she began to sweat as she pushed through the crowd towards the large cage in the center of the room that extended up to the ceiling so the two men inside couldn't escape. Her heart sunk as her stomach churned at the sight in the cage but she refused to look away. There stood Mace, his chest bare and glittering with sweat as blood ran down from the slas on his shoulder. His opponent was in wolf form, trying to find a way close to him but his eyes were locked on him, ready to shift and attack at a moments notice as the crowd roared happily. The wolf sprang forward but rather than shifting into his own wolf form to fight back, Mace grabbed him by the muzzle and threw him against te bars, causing them to rattle as the opponent's head slammed into them. Hi opponent stumbled dizzily but Mace didn't move to attack, not yet trusting that he was close to being beat, even as they turned human and held their bleeding head in pain.

[SecretShadows]

Adreal snorted a bit at the smell, wishing he could block it out bit it was strong and pretty much everywhere. So this is where Mace grew up? A fighting arena for werewolves, disgusting. Humans never thought a lot about things other then themselves and that was quite clear here. He followed behind Astra, glancing around and then over at Lily who was now clearly worried, her heart sank a bit at the idea if Mace being trapped in here. After getting inside the elf just placed a hand in front of her mouth staring with horror at the scene happening right in front of them. She quickly looked at Astra and asked: "H-How will we even get him out of there?" Adreal watched this fight and frowns a little saying: "Well, either we break it up now or wait for them to be placed back in those cages."

[AnnaCat17]

Astra didn't take her eyes off Mace, watching as he approached his dizzy opponent. "We wait until they are in the holding cages. Everyone here will leave and the workers will be exhausted from the fight causing security to be lowered. He is going to be hard to get out, though, so get ready for a fight." She flinched as she watched Mace grab the other wolf and snap his neck, his body dropping to the dirt floor as the crowd cheered and roared. Money began to exchange hands around them as men with shock canes forced mace to change into his wolf form and to go through a tunnel to the cages. Astra didn't move, tring to slow her racing heart as she stared at the abandoned body. This was her fault. She tried to keep her face blank of emotions but she felt like at any moment she would break down and the crowd shifting around her did nothing to still her.

[SecretShadows]

Adreal nods and said: "Yes it would be lowered but it also means we have to find the ke- oh never mind we dont need the key, you got me." He smiles a little being quite proud if his lock picking skills." That smile faded rather quickly as he looked back at Mace walking over to the other wolf where he killed it nearly instantly. He sighs a but but death was somehing he got use to seeing, it didnt affect him as much but he could see Astra being quite affected so placed his arms around her pulling her closer into a hug hiding her face away from what was happening in his chest while he said: "We will get him out soon."

Lily watched the fight and soon gasps careful not to scream after the neck of the other wolf got snapped, she was an nature elf so seeing anything that was even just partly animal get hurt did affect her deeply. She quickly looked away already feeling herself tearing up but knew she had to be strong until they managed to get Mace out of here. He just had to get to safety first before she would allow herself to weaken again. She felt sick to her stomach wondering how anyone even found this fun to watch, these people were all monsters, she wish she would just destroy them all but it could cause problems for them all so she just waited to follow Astra again while she continued to tremble trying not to look back at the dead body left in the cage.

[AnnaCat17]

Astra allowed herself to be pulled into Adreal's embrace as she listened to the building slowly empty. She couldn't stop thinking about how she had done this. Mace had been safe for years and was finally over the nightmares brought on by his life here, yet here she had flung him right back into it. After a few minutes she pulled away from Adreal, unable to look either him or Lily in the eye. "In case either of you were ever wondering, this is why Mace refuses to leave camp." She muttered. "Time to move." She set off to the edge of the room and through the employees only door, managing to avoid detection. In the back area the scent was even worse. Cage after cage was filled with snarling, wounded werewolves, all terrified of what the stranger's presence could mean as they watched Adreal, Lily, and Astra.

Mace was trying to sleep in his cage, trying to block out the talking, barking, whimpering, and growling coming from those around him. He stayed in wolf form, not seeing the point in turning human when he was warmer with his fur. He tried not to think of what he had just done, and had gotten good at doing so, choosing instead a blank mind and slowed breathing before nightmares would claim him.

[SecretShadows]

Adreal sighs a little and held her until everyone was cleared out, he knew now it was time to start this rescue and waited until Astra was ready to pull away. After she did he gave a small nod and said: "It is hard to leave the place you find the most safe." He sighs wondering if Lily was even able to.put up with all this but she would become helpful with calming down the madhouse they are about to enter. After entering he could see all the wolves and noises they made travel around with a unpleasant strong smell which suffocated the room. This might take a while seeing how many cases there was filled with wolves.

Lily took a few deep breaths to calm herself then followed the two silently mainly just looking at the ground as the stabbings in her heart couldn't take it. After they entered the room filled with cages she lifted her head unable to take the sound so started to sing a song, one that was often used back home to calm down fearful animals or those in pain. Pretty much an elven spell on it's own but it should at least calm everyone in the room down and show them they were no threat.