The Forbidden Forest

[kumainpink]

Lucinda returned with the goblin in question, making sure to flash to the heart of the forest, where nearly everyone to and from- she didn't trust him enough to bring him back to her cave. "I need to check on something, so please make yourself at home." she said to the goblin.

Then she flashed to her cave, where she wondered if Rhea would be still sleeping.

[Nahara46]

Rhea had awoken, but she was still in the cave. War or not, she still need to keep clean so she was using some spells wipe away dirt and grim from her skin. She'd take care of the rest of herself later, when she had a great deal of more privacy. Looking up as she saw light, she smiled and greeted softly,

"Hello Lucinda."

[kumainpink]

"Good morning, Rhea." she chirped, feeling slightly better upon seeing her new friend. "I just came to see if you had woken yet. My vow transported me to a goblin who wanted to visit the forest, so I brought him." She took a deep breath. "I honestly don't want to speak with him for a while, so would it be alright if I flew beside you as you walked?"

[Nahara46]

"Sure," Rhea replied as she stood up, "Was he a bit on the unpleasant side?" She asked conversationally, "The goblins up at gringotts are never the nicest lot." As she spoke, the small werewolf headed toward the cave opening. Perhaps they could find someone can get a better insight on the... casualties of the previous day. Rhea only knew of the injured, not the murdered.

[kumainpink]

Lucinda trilled heavily. "Yes, he's rather...rude. Though I'm not sure if he's a Gringotts goblin. I found him in a dank, dim cave."

[Nahara46]

Tilting her head curiously, Rhea wondered aloud, "And why would he be there? Most Goblins have a job at either Gringotts, or as a blacksmith. I don't see them to be the type to hang around in such a place."

[kumainpink]

"I don't know. My only guess is that he was somehow threatened by the Ministry and fled." she replied, deep in thought. "But he wants to be of assistance, so we have to give him the benefit of the doubt."

[Nahara46]

Rhea nodded, "I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on him."

---

Fawkes was tired. He had been over in Australia watching Kangaroos (They were pretty amazing creatures!) When he felt odd. He couldn't place it, but he felt something was wrong- horribly wrong. It was Hogwarts. He hadn't been to the school since his master had been killed, but he felt it's cry for help. Something was threatening his school! Unfortunately, Fawkes had been unable to flash to the school. He had recently done a journey from North America to Australia, which had already left him to tired to flash again. He'd had to wait a day, resting himself for his next flash.

Now, he was in the Forbidden Forest somewhere, and once again very tired. Flying low, he searched for someone, for a clue as to what had happened. A few trees were burnt- had there been a fire?

[kumainpink]

Lucinda trilled her agreement, as they enjoyed their walk. Though far from happy, she was a bit more peaceful now that she wasn't alone. They continued for a while in comfortable silence, when Lucinda felt a familiar presence in the forest. But no, it couldn't be! What would he be doing here, after all this time?

[Nahara46]

As Rhea was walking she was startled out of the silence by a sudden... Song? She looked up just in time to see another phoenix coming through the trees, trilling a hello to Lucinda. It came to rest on a low branch of a tree, just in front of Rhea and Lucinda. It turned to the latter and said,

"Ah, Lucinda! Long time no see!" Fawkes nodded his head in greeting.

[G. Novella]

Kampfa hadn't been too concerned at the phoenix leaving abruptly. He wanted less to do with her. As he looked around the forest's destruction, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anger and satisfaction. The humans were proving their own terror to everyone. He'd have little to say to the creatures within the woods to rally them against the humans. Peace had been forsaken. Humanity was doomed.

The little goblin slung his bag over his back and began moving through the woods. It was time to show the creatures the path to victory.

[kumainpink]

If Lucinda had a mouth, she would have been smiling. "Fawkes!" she chirped happily, flying off of Rhea's shoulder. "It's been so long!" She perched beside him and nuzzled him - the phoenix variation of a hug. "How are you?"

[Nahara46]

Fawkes would have been grinning as well, had he had a mouth. "Fine," he replied merrily, "I was just in Australia- Did you know that Kangaroos can't move backwards? And that they always move there feet in sync on land, but independently in water!"

[kumainpink]

Lucinda let out a song of laughter, bright and melodic. "Every time we talk, you seem to come up with the strangest facts! Oh, it's so good to see you again!" She turned to Rhea. "Rhea, this is Fawkes. He's one of my closest friends. Fawkes, this is Rhea. She's a..." Lucinda paused for a moment and then said, "a new friend." The term didn't feel quite right, but it was as close as she could get for the moment.

[Nahara46]

Rhea nodded toward the new creature and gave a shy smile, Fawkes? His name seemed familiar- but Rhea couldn't quite place it.

"A pleasure to meet you," Fawkes told her brightly before turning back to Lucinda his eyes growing darker, "And it is a further pleasure to see you once again Lucinda. However, I'm afraid I'm not here on a merely friendly visit. I've been feeling as if something horrible has happened, Please tell me what has happened here, and why a good portion of the Forest has been burnt?"

[kumainpink]

Lucinda felt her spirits drop once more. "I messed up, Fawkes." she admitted sadly. "I messed up really bad." she screwed her eyes shut, showing a first sign of weakness in a while. "It's a long story, so please bear with me." She scooted away from Fawkes. "For over a hundred years, I've been seeing the steady decline between wizards and creatures. And up until recently, I haven't been able to do anything about it."

She winced, knowing that Fawkes would ask about that. "But the moment I could, I went overboard. I made an unbreakable vow in this very forest to defend all magical creatures, as penance for my inaction." she trilled regretfully. "I spread myself too thin, Fawkes. Instead of focusing all my power on the barrier I made, the vow tugged me along to different creatures that needed assistance. And I was so sure that the barriers would hold...but the wizards attacked suddenly, and I allowed the barriers to break."

She cried then. Purely sad, non-healing tears. "I was so foolish."

[Nahara46]

Predictably, Fawkes was unhappy. Not with Lucinda really, rather because the Wizards had attacked, right next to Hogwarts no less! He tilted his head, unsure on what to say. Then, the girl took a step toward the tree and spoke up,

"Lucinda," Rhea began, "Your not foolish, your just trying to do the best you can. Maybe you did spread yourself to thin, but that's because you wanted to help- which is a good thing in itself. Perhaps not the smartest thing to do, or the best thing to do to win a war, but it was a good thing. The fact that your doing anything at all is more then I can for some creatures. If you hadn't come along, none of us would have been prepared for an attack, and it would have been much worse." Fawkes nodded to the girls words.

[kumainpink]

Lucinda let out a few, wistful notes. "Thank you." After a moment of silence, she started to pull herself together, knowing that there was a lot of work to be done. "There are still injured creatures to attend to, and that goblin worries me." She looked to Fawkes. "Do you want to come with us?"

[Nahara46]

"I'd love too," Agreed Fawkes happily, his darker and upset demeanor vanishing. "I'm afraid I can't help heal anyone at the moment. Flashing from America to Australia, and then Australia to Scotland can be very tiresome. Perhaps later today though, I can be of more assistance." He let himself fall off the branch and began flying just before hitting the ground. Then he went to hover slightly above and to the right of Rhea. Rhea watched him before looking at Lucinda,

"Where to first?"

[kumainpink]

"Of course not, Fawkes. I wouldn't dream of asking you in your condition." Lucinda considered Rhea's question for a moment. "To the center of the forest. I'm going to ask everyone to bring their injured and wounded kin up front." she warbled a few notes. "I have a lot that needs to be said to them, I just hope they're willing to listen."

[Nahara46]

Rhea nodded and turned toward the center. Fawkes flew close by,

"I sure hope there willing," He mused as he flew, "After all you've done for them, it's only fair." Then, with a glance toward the castle he questioned, "And what is the school doing with this war?"

[kumainpink]

"I don't know yet." she answered, as they made their way - Lucinda had taken to perching on Rhea's shoulder again, in order to conserve her magic. "Would you be willing to check on that when you're better? I'd do it, but I'm afraid I'd start draining myself if I became involved with the school, too."

[Nahara46]

"Of course," He replied, "I must confess, I feel compelled to protect the school, as my master once had."

[kumainpink]

Lucinda gave him a grateful glance, and trilled her thanks to him. Now that Fawkes was here, she didn't feel as though the weight of the world was pushing down so hard. It was a nice change of pace. And something about Rhea's warmth made the others easier to face.

[Nahara46]

Fawkes fell silent as he flew, mentally going through how he would think the school would react. Had this happened 200 years ago, he knew Dumbledore would never have stood for it. Would have stopped the attack before it happened... Especially with that half-giant Hagrid at the school. He'd always loved the magical creatures of the forest. But now? Fawkes didn't know how the school had changed- what the current Headmaster thought of the situation, so he couldn't tell.

Rhea was equally silent as she walked- wondering if the Ministry was going to attack again. She was a bit worried that they would do something with her mother and brother, as they were related to a werewolf...

[G. Novella]

Kampfa had returned to the centre of the forest where he'd been left only a few minutes after walking. He'd decided it might be easier climbing a tree to scout the area out. Once he knew what his domain looked like, he could start plotting battle grounds. Wasn't a human school nearby? Yes, he could easily have them attacked. Show the humans they weren't to be taken lightly anymore.

It was as he reached the second branch, that he heard footsteps. Immediately he dropped from the tree, and hovered by his bag, awaiting a new ally or enemy.

[kumainpink]

Lucinda's eyes narrowed as they came the goblin. There was something shifty in his eyes - a sign that he was planning something sinister. And why did he have this feeling of death surrounding him? "Sorry for leaving you like that, but I had to check on someone. So, now that you are here, what do you want?"

[Nahara46]

Rhea scrutinized the goblin... He didn't look pleasant. Scars were in more then one spot- and the one on his cheek did not do him any favors in Rhea's eyes. Then again, Rhea herself had a few scars (All of which were luckily easily covered by normal clothing... Except on small one on her right arm.) from her transformations, so she reserved her assumptions until later.

Fawkes had similar thoughts- as he hovered above the others he couldn't help but feel there was something wrong with this goblin. Dangerous about him. However, his many years with Albus had taught him that though someone seams unpleasant, they were not necessarily bad people.

[G. Novella]

Kampfa ignored the phoenix is question. His eyes had settled on the most unpleasant of sights. It was a girl, a human girl. She stood looking at him with fear, obviously afraid he'd expose her vileness. He felt his anger rising. How could a human even be allowed here after what her kind had done! She should be slaughtered where she stood!

"Why," he began growling, "Do you have a human here? I thought we were fighting for magical creatures, not humans."

[kumainpink]

"She's a werewolf, not a human. And I'd appreciate it if you'd ask before assuming such things." Lucinda said coldly. "Besides, it isn't all humans we are trying to stop. Only the ones who wish to harm us."