The Run. 44

As Jandar and Rage stepped from the Manor. Almost everyone was waiting outside. All of them smiling. Jandar looked at Rage.
"So much for a quiet run with the boys." Rage laughed.
They walked down to meet everyone.
"What are you all doing here."Jandar asked.
"I'm going for a swim with Denner." Nautica told him."Were taking Mortimer with us. He wants to show us some caves he found."
"Im taking Dreik into Winterhaven." Ariel said. Dreik smiled.
"And I'm going with them." Cutter said.
"No your not!" She said sternly. "Dreik is a perfect gentleman and we can protect ourselves. So you stay here and protect Settlement."
Cutter laughed as they walked off. He knew better then to follow them. Seven would give him hell if he did. Pelic and Graym were talking as they walked up to Jandar and Rage.
"I want you two to stay with Cutter. We cant all leave Settlement." Rage told them. "You can give Athene a hand with the centaurs too."
"As you wish your highness." Pelic said "Besides, Mags wants to show me something."
"I'll stay here to I guess." Azeal said.
"No you wont." Jandar patted him on the back. "You can change to a wolf right?"
"Yeah, and a raven."
"Fine. Your coming with us."
"What about us?" Shayn asked."Rage and I cant change to wolves."
"Yes we can." Rage said.
"How?"
"Oh so young." Rage lifted Shayn up and spun around."I'm a King Dragon, with all kinds of mystic powers like Jandar. If I want to become a wolf, I can, and I can make you one to. Besides, didn't you learn to transform yourself in school? I heard you were their best student. Were they wrong?"
Shayn looked over to Ono. He was laughing.
"Well?" Ono said. "Can you?"
"I haven't done anything like that since school. But yes I can."
"I'm gonna have to start making you practice more." Jandar told him. "Go ahead and lets see what you can do."

On four legs I run.
As with a pack.
A Wolf I become
no looking back.
As fast as I can
And that's a fact.
We howl at the moon
Till we change back.

As they watch Shayn shimmered and becomes a white wolf.
"I knew you could do it." Jandar told him. "Now you Rage.
Rage rubbed his hands together and went down on all fours. He closed his eyes and roared. He began to shift to a red wolf.
[Hows that?]
"A red wolf with fire in his eyes." Jandar smiled.
"Azeal?"
"My turn." Azeal said.
He spread his arms and get down and became a black wolf with amazing green eyes.
"What a handsome wolf you make Azeal!
"You two look great as wolves." Ono told them. "Come on!"
Jandar and Ono took off running into the forest shifting easily as they ran. Ono and Shayn kept to the front with Azeal right behind them catching and passing them at time. All five of the had a great time running and being creatures of nature. The forest was so alive with smells and things to hunt. They chased rabbits and squirrels and played tag. What a great day it was. Azeal stepped up to Jandar.
[Thank You.] He sent.
[For what?]
[Adding me.] Azeal licked his face.
[Azeal. We're your family now. Of course we'd add you. Why do you think I made Justice for you? So nothing would hurt you? Cause Valkar, Rage and I want to keep you safe. We know you're going to go after your mother. We just don't want you to go alone. Families fight together. Look up in the sky. Over those trees. What do you see?]
Azeal looked up over the trees. He saw something flying around. He recognized what it was.
[Its Jayce.]
[Yes ,watching over us. Even though he knows were capable of defending ourselves. That's what families do for each other.]
[I've never really had anyone care for me accept Valkar since Rejek died. He was the only one that cared about me and Ranjer. My mother and grandfather treated us like we were a bother.]
Azeal laid down and moaned. Jandar sat facing him. He wanted to show Azeal that he was safe here with them and that they wanted him to stay. He hoped Ono and Shayn would be an example as to how he would fit in. Jandar had had a long talk with Valkar and he agreed Azeal should be here with them. As much as Valkar wanted him to stay. Azeal needed a family to care for him. Just as Jandar was about to speak he heard a scream. It was Shayn. Jandar and Azeal jumped and and ran out to see what was going on. As they came over the ridge the saw Shayn and Rage in nets and a man in black chanting a spell and they vanished. Jandar recognized the man. It was someone that couldn't possibly be here. Jandar and Azeal shifted back to human form and ran out into the clearing. They found Ono there laid out. Jandar grabbed him to make sure he was alright. He was just knocked out.
"Who was that man? What did he do to them?" Azeal asked worried. Jandar was frantic. He sent out a call in his mind to Jayce. In a flash he was there.
"What happened?" He asked.
 "I saw someone that couldn't be here." Jandar had a strange look in his eyes. " I took care of him already, He cant be here again!!"
"Who?" Jayce asked.
"The Collector!!"
Jayce almost fell back. He remembered the Collector. He also remembered what happened to him and how it affected Jandar.
"Jandar, Rage will be able to free them." Jayce said.
"Not if he keeps them knocked out or kills them!!" Jandar hugged Ono to himself.
"I'll call Cutter, he can find him."
"Jayce, this time he's dead." Jandar looked him dead in the eyes. "He came after my family again. I punished him before, but I can't play this game again and again. If he hurts either one of them in anyway, he's going to pray for Polan's mercy cause I won't be very merciful. Azeal, I want you to stay here and watch Ono. When he wakes, come find us. He'll be about to pick up the trail. Jayce, lets go."

A little later Cutter and Cheshire met them in the clearing. Cheshire kept jumping around in a agitated manner. Really trying to get loose and moving.
"Cutter, What's with him?" Jayce asked.
"He's psyche. He knows Shayn's missing and I think he has a trail."
"Let him loose then." Jandar urged him. "If he finds Shayn I'll take over."
No one there wanted to argue with Jandar. He wanted blood right now and they couldn't blame him. Cheshire free once free took of into the forest. Jandar shifted and followed with Jayce and Cutter in the air. They wanted to call in more help but Jandar forbid it.
"This will be over and done with." Jandar told them. "I don't want us to become some crazed bunch of vigilantes roaming around. But we promised to help and protect the people, that's what we're going to do."
Through the forest Jandar followed Cheshire. Every now and then he stopped to check a scent then took off again Jayce and Cutter followed watching from above. Finally Cheshire must have found the scent he was looking for, his ears went up and he took off with a determined look. Jandar stayed right on his heels as he ran. Soon they came to a large wall that surrounded a beautiful palace. Cheshire jumped the wall and ran in. Jayce and Cutter came down and landed next to Jandar.
"Cutter, What do you feel from the inside?"
Cutter closed his eyes and reached out with his fear senses. If there was anyone inside the compound with any kind of stress or fear, he would feel it. Room to room he search and felt nothing. He couldn't even feel Rage, and he should be able to locate his King, unless.
"Nothing." He said. "I feel nothing."
"What do you mean nothing?" Jandar asked. "Is Rage there?"
"I don't know." Cutter told him. The worried look told Jandar all he needed to know. Jandar summoned his staff. He was going in to find Rage now.
"Jandar." Jayce asked. "What do you want us to do?"
"Stay here." He said. "Keep your eyes open. If I need you, I'll call."
"Oh no." Jayce shook his head. "There's no way I'm gonna let you go in there alone. Rage would kill me and so would Ono. You go in, I go in."
"We go in." Cutter said. Both of them stared at Jandar. He knew there was no fighting them, they would follow no matter what he said.
"Ok." He said. " Jayce you come in from the north. Use your pin and come in invisible. Cutter you shield yourself from being seen to. I want you to find Shayn. I don't know if there together. Get him out of there and back to Ono. Then come back and find us if we haven't contacted you."
"As you wish." Jayce said nodding.
"And what are you going to do?"
Jandar looked at them both and smiled.
"I'm taking the direct route." Jandar spoke a simple spell and rose up and over the wall. Cheshire came running out to him and licked his hand. He ran his hand along his back petting him.
"Go find Rage." He said. Cheshire took off into the palace with Jandar floating behind him. Room to room they searched. They found nothing and no one. Cheshire turned a corner and headed up a set of stairs. On the next landing his ears perked up, he found something. Cheshire quickly ran into a room ahead and roared. Jandar summoned a bolt of fire and followed Cheshire into the room. There he saw Rage laying in a bed passed out. Jandar rushed to his side to make sure he was alright. He found him breathing regular, Jandar sighed with relief.
"I wouldn't hurt them."
 Jandar spun around, ready to send the bolt of fire at the Collector. There he found a young man about twenty years of age standing there. He was dressed in gray pants and black coat with a white shirt. He had dark hair and pleasant eyes, unlike the other Collector. Jandar looked into his eyes and knew he was a Collector. He had the same look only much younger.
"Who are you and why have you kidnapped my family."
"My name is Toric Norstin." He said. "The other Collectors were my father and uncle. I know what they did and how they were punished. I'm not here for revenge or to battle you or your family. I'm here to ask for your help."
"So you take my family?" Jandar said. At that second Jayce appeared next to Jandar, his sword out. Toric bowed before them, his head down. Jayce could strike it from his neck if he wanted, but waited.
"Forgive me Sir, but I am desperate." Toric told them. "He has my Mother and sisters. I don't know what to do."
"Who has them?" Jandar asked him.
"A dark man called Polan." Toric went and sat in a chair next to the bed and sobbed.
"We know him." Jayce put away his sword. "Tell us what happened."