CHARLOTTE'S REIN (A fanfictious fanfic)

[Moosh da Outlaw]

The moment Charlotte opened her eyes, she was filled with a sense of confusion.
She wasn't in her hut, she was on the hard, dry earth.
She wasn't dry and safe, she was wet and cold.
And something sharp was jabbing her in the side.
Gradually she remembered what had happened last night, and she groaned. But that didn't explain what was jabbing her in the ribs.
Charlotte sat up, rubbed away some mud that was caked around her eyes, and looked to see what was poking her. A few feet away from her stood a grubb wearing a domed-straw hat and a pair of dark green swimming trunks. He proceeded to jab her with a long stick.
"S'cuse me," Charlotte inquired, "but what are you doing?"
"Seeing if your dead," he said.
There was a pause.
"Well, i'm alive." Charlotte said, scratching her head. The grubb threw the stick aside with a shrug.
"I'm Mola." he said, sticking out his hand. Charlotte gingerly shook it, her eyebrows raised quizzically.
"Charlotte." she said, brushing away dirt from her clothes with her free hand. Once she was sufficiantly cleaned off, she stood up. The grubb was still standing next to her, staring.
"What do you want?" She asked, stretching her legs. The grubb blinked.
"Nothin'. I just wanted to see if you were alive or not."
"All right..."
"Wanna see my tribe?" He asked exitedly, his fingers twittering and his eyes bright. Charlotte was taken abak. Why would she ever want to?
"Why would I?" She couldin't help but ask. The grubb still twittered happily.
"You're a steef, aren't you?" He asked, rocking back and forth on his heels. Charlotte, who had been taking a drink from her canteen, choked.
"Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, be quiet!" She hissed, clapping a hand over his mouth. "You tryin' to get me killed? Anyone could've heard you! And how did you know?" She demanded, her eyebrows contracting. The grubb peeled her hand off of his mouth.
"Come on! The tribe's this way." He said, skipping off. Charlotte grabbed him by the sholders.
"No! Stop changing the subject! How did you know I was a steef?" She snarled.
"Lucky guess. Now if you don't mind," he grinned, pushing her hands off his sholders, "i'll be going away now. You can follow if you like."
He dashed fleet-footedly down the canyon's path without looking back. Charlotte took a moment to consider her options.
Go the other way, get killed by head-hunting outlaws...
...return to Autumn Chasm, get killed later...
...follow this walking fishstick over to his home.
She chose the less life-threataning choice.
"Wait up!" She said, bounding after him. For a grubb, he was suprisingly fast and agile on land. By the time she caught up with him, she was out of breath.
"What did you say your name was?" She asked, running alongside him.
"Mola." He replied, grinning again. "The place we're going is called L.L.T, by the way."
"L....?"
"...L.T."
"What does it stand for?" Charlotte asked as they both jumped clear over a boulder. The grubb gladly explained.
"'Last Legs Two', home of the Last Leg Rebels. Our last-last legs got destroyed by wolvarks, so we made a new one here. I like our new home, at our last-last legs it was really cold all the time, so I couldin't wear my swimmin' trunks. But I can now."
"I see..." she said, though the truth was that she didn't think his swimming trunks mattered much.
They continued on through the winding maze of cliffs and passages, warm morning sunlight glowing on their backs. Birds whistled and clicked in the trees, occasionally diving to catch bugs in their mouths. Although Charlotte didn't know where they were, she was absolutely awestruck by its beauty; it was scattered with high, whithering peaks, gurgling streams and crushing waterfalls. The cliffs all around were pale reddish-brown limestone, casting dominating shadows across the barren landscape.
Finally, after running for twenty minutes straight, they came to something Charlotte had least expected to find; a wide, fertile wetland abundant with reeds and small animals. The water was perfectly clear and cool, and as she looked through it she spotted little silvery fish darting about.
"Come on, we have to cross!" Mola said happily, jumping into the water cannonball-style. He quickly resurfaced and spoke in a serious tone. "But ya gotta be careful, or a chuggler might get you!"
"Whats a chuggler?" She asked, slowly lowering herself into the water. The grubb shook his head angrily.
"Big bullies." He said simply, backstroking towards the other side. Charlotte shrugged and followed. The water was up to her sholders, but she walked anyway. At one point she thought she saw a sleek, ridged grey back slide along the reeds, but she disreguarded it.
Eventually they crossed the wide wetland and stood on the bank of the water. The energenic grubb took off running again, much to Charlotte's displeasure, and she followed half-heartedly. They ran alongside the marsh, and she was beginning to wonder how long it was. It seemed to stretch on for miles.
"Welcome!" said Mola, skidding to an unexpected hault. Charlotte slammed into him before she could break, and they both tumbled along the shore.
"To Last Legs Two!" He said, continuing as though nothing had happened.
Charlotte stared up at the fortress in front of her; it was made of stacked limestone quarried from the canyons and sat directly on the wetland's shore. Around it was a thick fence, thirty-five feet tall, made of stacked oak logs. Three small docks stretched out over the water from grubb-sized gaps in the wooden walls, where a dozen grubbs fished.
Inside the fence was a huge grubb temple surrounded by little connected townhouses.
If its that big outside, Charlotte wondered, how big is it inside?
"Come on!" Mola laughed, running in through a square hole. Charlotte had to duck to fit inside, but she didn't mind.
"Look! Isn't it cool? We worked to hard to make it, but it was worth it!" He said happily as he skipped along. As they both walked along grubbs stopped and stared before quickly talking to one another. Whatever they were talking about sounded urgent, but she didn't easedrop.
"We made it out of limestone, its really useful for making fortresses, and wood, we used a lot of wood too..." Mola chattered, motioning towards various statues of grubbs and steef as he walked. "...and that's our Last Legs memorial, where we remember all who died..." it featured a group of grubbs stabbing a wolvark with a spear, and a steef wearing full-body armor firing a bow, "...in the battle of Last Legs. And when we destroyed Sekto's dam, that was pretty cool too, freein' our water and all..."
"You destroyed Sekto's dam?" Charlotte asked, suprised. She knew that his dam had been destroyed, but she didn't know that grubbs had done it.
"Yes!" Mola said proudly, striking a heroic pose. He dove forward, still talking about how noble his tribe was for freeing the water, when he suddently tripped head-over-heels and mowed over a female grubb who had come hurrying over. They both collapsed, startled and confused. The female grubb, who Charlotte guessed to be the leader judging by her spiky pink headrest, got up and ran to her, leaving Mola half-stunned in the dust.
"Welcome, steef, to Last Legs Two!" She announced, waving her hands in the air. From seemingly nowhere dozens of grubbs' surrounded them, talking exitedly. "This is really good, y'know, to know that there's more than one steef in the Mongo valley..."
"Wait!" She interrupted. "How do you all know i'm a steef? I haven't said anything to you!" She said, rubbing her temples to relieve the stress.
"We knew you were coming," said the lead grubb, "we forsaw it!"
"Forsaw it!" a grubb in the crowd echoed.
"Hear her!" another one said.
"Forsaw it?" Charlotte asked, bewildered. Slowly she realised just how unbearably confusing her day had been already.
"Yes! Forsaw it! There were signs!"
"Signs!" A grubb echoed.
"In the water! Signs everywhere!"
"Everywhere! In the water!" a completely different grubb said. Someone cuffed him over the back of the head, silencing him.
"Follow me, steef Charlotte," the grubb leader squeaked, grabbing her hand and pulling her forcefully along, "and we will show you how."
Charlotte didn't bother to ask how they knew her name. Somehow, she knew they had an explanation.

[Oddey]

Cool! But I wonder how Stranger now wears his boots if he was supposed to be the guardian of the Grubbs? Is this like a revision where Stranger didn't get involved or is it that he managed to look enough like before that nobody knows he's a steef anymore? An if the second reason is true why isn't he with the Grubbs anymore?

[Moosh da Outlaw]

No, he did destroy Sekto's dam, and he helped them build a new last legs, but after that he got bored of having nothing to protect them from so he returned to bounty hunting.
And he only bounty hunts at places that nobody has heard of him, like Fowlsburgh, and he wears his old clothes.

And merry Christmas, peoples!


-----

The inside of the grubb temple was bright and cool, with ancient pictures depicting important events in grubb history carved into the walls. The cieling of the temple was a huge translucent dome made out of water-washed limestone. Charlotte stopped to stare up at it before being pulled roughly along by the grubb leader.
"I am Ophelia." The little grubb said as she lead Charlotte down a narrow path below a giant grubb statue. "I will show you how we know."
"How you know my name?" Charlotte asked.
"How we know everything!" Ophelia beamed, glowing with pride. She let go of Charlotte's hand and ran over to a stack of torches to her left. She grabbed one, lit it with a match, and continued leading her down the winding path. Eventually the light from the bright temple behind them faded away in the dark, and all that was left was torchlight.
"Wait! Wait for me!" A voice screamed from behind them. Mola, who was no longer dazed, caught up with them, panting heavily. "Why didn't you wait?" He whined, dragging his feet with each step.
"Because you shouldin't be following us," Ophelia hissed.
"Psh," Mola sighed with a flick of his head, "you don't mean that."
"I do, now be quiet or the elders'll be pissed!"
"Who are the elders?" Charlotte asked.
"They're our expert seers." Ophelia explained. "They look in the water and tell us our future."
"They're old geezers, they can barely see anything."
"Mola!" Ophelia snapped, her voice echoing through the tight passage. "Show some respect for our elders! Now, granted, they're old..."
"...very, very old..."
"Just let it go." She sighed, defeated.
Ophelia dipped the torch into the wet ground, extinguishing the light. Charlotte was about to ask why she had done that when suddently she was aware of a dim blue glow up ahead. She stumbled towards it, walking with a haphazardly akwardness. The glow grew more and more defined, and shimmered like sunlight reflected off of water.
"Not long now," Ophelia whispered, "...and by the way, once we get there, don't talk. They don't like it."
"Once we get where?" Charlotte questioned. Ophelia shushed her immediately.
The blue light was glowing from a gap at the end of the tunnel. Ophelia lead them through it, and the three soon found themselves in a small room where five old grubbs sat around a crystal pool, murmuring to themselves. The immense silence was almost painful, and it left an annoying ringing sound in Charlotte's ears.
"This is it?" Charlotte whispered, breaking the silence. Ophelia stepped roughly on her foot, silencing her.
One of the elder grubbs lifted his head and looked Charlotte over with his fading vision. He prodded the grubb next to him with a long, thin finger.
"Reed, look," he said, pointing to Charlotte.
"Wha? Where?" The grubb looked around blindly. The other elder shook his head.
"Old coot! Right there!" He hissed, pointing at her again.
"Charlotte," Ophelia said, sweeping her hand out in front of her, "Meet our elders- Reed, Minnow, Brook, Beetle, and Cod. They predicted you would come."
"Hi." She said, waving weakly. She still didn't understand why she had been lead here.
"Sit down." The elder known as Beetle said. "We have much to discuss."
"About the past," said Minnow,
"...the present..." said Brook,
"...and the future!" said Cod.
"About everything." Reed finished, folding his hands neatly. Charlotte blinked slowly and sat down. Mola and Ophelia followed.
"You!" Brook said, suddently pointing at Mola. "Rouge! Get out of here! You break everything you touch! Waste your energy outside, get some work done!"
"Oh come on!" Mola protested, throwing his hands in the air. "You never let me stay--"
"The last time we did," Cod growled, "you almost broke my neck!"
"I tripped!" Mola yelled.
"Mola," Ophelia said, "get out."
"Fine! I'll go, if it'll make you old goats happy," Mola groaned, laborously getting to his feet and dragging himself out the door. Minnow chuckled.
"Idiot. I predict he'll get himself beaten up soon, that'll teach him."
"Me too." Reed agreed.
"Anyhow," said Brook, clapping her hands, "back to buisness."
"Tell me," Charlotte said, "how did you know I was coming? And how did you know my name?"
"Shush, darling." Brook said with a wafting notion of her hand. "Everything will soon become clear, just wait."
The room became deathly silent. The five grubb elders sat motionless, their eyes closed and their minds deep in thought. Their breathing was shallow, and Charlotte wondered if they had all keeled over and died simutaniously.
"Just wait," Ophelia whispered, also closing her eyes, as though trying to predict something herself. They sat in this position for more than half an hour. The entire time Charlotte sat and twittled her fingers, her patience dwindeling. Finally somebody spoke while Charlotte was in mid-yawn.
"Interesting!" Cod said, bobbing up and down with exitement. "Very interesting! We will need to prusue this further; but for now I think I would like some fish."
"Wait!" Charlotte said, standing up. "Aren't you going to tell me why you've called me here?"
"Oh yes, that." Beetle said, scratching his chin. "We believe you're meant to rescue the remaining handful of steef from extinction. Pretty wild, eh?"
"Pretty wild?" Charlotte yelped, her voice shrill. "Pretty wild? Why didn't anybody tell me this? I don't want to save anybody, I have a hard enough time saving myself!"
"Calm down!" Ophelia yelled, sounding just as suprised. "I just found out, too! We all just found this out! Its not worth getting all worked up about."
"What?! Is this a joke?" she demanded, waving her arms in the air. She began walking in a tight circle, whispering 'I can't do this, this is insane, what the hell' repeatively.
"Come on, its not that bad." Reed said.
"Not bad at all," Minnow agreed. "We don't even know if our prediction was real or not. No need to get your fur all ruffled up."
"Right," Brook sighed, standing up. "I think i'll get some lunch."
"Me too."
"Yeah, I could do with some fish."
"Uh-huh."
The five grubb seers filed out of the room, muttering to eachother about their predictions. Charlotte lay face-down on the stone ground, rubbing her tempels.
"If there's not an explanation to why my life has to be so confusing up to this point, I think i'll shoot myself." She said. Ophelia laughed.
"Thats the spirit, Charlotte! Nothing like a joke to relieve some stress, eh? Eh?"
"I wasn't joking," Charlotte growled.
"Oh." Ophelia sighed. "Uh, okay... i'll just leave you to... whatever it is you're doing." She said, leaving the room.
Charlotte groaned and sat up, wishing somebody would knock her out with a heavy brick.

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

Heehee, awesome.

Aaaanyway...Two crits to help. 1), I find it kinda irresponsible and perhaps not Stranger that Stranger sorta ditched the grubbs like that.
2), Plus I think his bounty clothes should have holes since the grubbs picked them up with arrows in the depantsing scene. And his pants were ripped up by the outlaws.
3), Remember that Charlotte just lost her dad, the guy that raised her 'till adulthood. If he was a good enough dad and not some sicko abusive parent, she's gonna have to grieve, i.e., cry or just plain go numb or whatever.
4), I sense a Stranger pairing...Nothin' wrong with that, though 8). I just expect that I guess, it seems Stranger is the kind of guy fangirls dream of.

[Oddey]

That's a really good chapter and the five grubbs remind me of an oracle. It does actually sound quite Stranger for Stranger to leave the grubbs. I mean after all he was prepared to kill his own specias to save himself. And he could have gotten himself a new pair of pants. His other gear could probrably be sown back together. Can't argue with the fact Charelotte isn't greiving although I will say she's an outlaw. Outlaws weren't supposed to care about anyone but thereselves. Yes, it does sound right for steef to come back to the river.

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

Yah, but it was said somewhere that Stranger learned to care after he helped the grubbs. I think he went from anti-hero to good, so leaving them still seems peculiar to me. I suppose someone is looking after them anyways, that or they look after themselves. I can agree with new gear and such. If you look at Jo Momma's sons, they're all pretty caring or obsessed over her (I remember them arguing, saying she said one of them was her favourite), and Charlotte is technically a steef, so...I'd assume she would care for her own adoptive parent. Yay steef @ the river.

Well anyways, don't be dishearted Moosh, we all need criticism, even me. Carry on 8).

[Moosh da Outlaw]

I was going to have a mourning chapter a few chapters back, but I completely forgot. Dx
And I think Stranger would have no problem with leaving the grubbs. He's really selfish, and the grubbs live a peaceful lifestyle so they don't really have anything to worry about anymore. For now, anyway.

And i'm sorry for writing such a crappy chapter, i'm having a bad writing day for some reason. :C

----

Night had fallen on the wetlands. Tiny glittering zappflies skimmed over the dead-calm water, causing fish to jump in a vain attempt to catch an easy meal. Crickets chirped loudly and fans of reeds rustled along the bank as something grey and slick slid between them.
The grubbs had given Charlotte a room to stay for the night. It was a small hut by the docks, dimly lit by candles. She lay curled up on her grubb-sized cot, her eyes distant with thought. All of her belongings (which was barely anything) were piled up in a corner, carelessly tossed aside.
Buckner was dead. She was having trouble accepting that. He had raised her, but she never considered him her father: she had cared for him out of respect, not out of love. He had always run a strict scheduel, told everyone what to do, and she had always followed his orders at the peak of obedience. She rarely had to make decisions for herself, and with him gone, she felt lost. Charlotte hadn't realised just how hopelessly lost she felt until she was all alone, without the grubbs around.
Pathetic, she thought, a faint growl rumbling in her chest. What am I doing here? Why do I even exist anymore? I've outlived my purpose; it died with Buckner.
Charlotte forced herself into a sitting position and rubbed her head, glancing absent-mindedly out the window towards where somebody moved
She stood up, opened the window, and stuck her head out. Somebody was definately walking out there, and it wasn't a grubb.
Charlotte left the hut and ducked down, creeping through the fortress without making a single sound. The tall shape entered the grubb village and glanced around, its neon-green eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
"You!" Charlotte demanded, standing to her full height. "What the hell are you doing here?"
If Stranger was suprised to see her, he didn't show it. "What are you doing here?"
"Dammit! Answer my question!" She yelled.
A light flickered on inside a nearby hut, and Mola poked his head out of a window.
"Quiet out there! I need my sleep!" He looked over at Stranger and bounced with exitement. "Steef dude! There you are, man! Its about time you showed up, we called you ages ago."
"You called him here?" Charlotte scratched her head. "Wait, you know eachother?"
Mola nodded furiously. "Yes! He helped us destroy Sekto's dam! Every grubb knows his name! Well, his nickname, anyway."
"What're you doing here?" Stranger asked again, baring his teeth for emphasis. Charlotte snorted.
"I don't really know." She admitted. She suddently remembered something.
"Have any luck with Buckner?" She said smugly. Stranger closed his fists angrily and shook his head.
"I found out he wus' dead after i'd fought through a hundred of his outlaws!" He snarled, as if angry she hadn't told him.
"Sorry." She shrugged, trying to supress a laugh. Buckner being dead pissed Stranger off, and that was, on her behalf, a benefit.
"What about you?" He growled. "They finally notice how much yore head's worth? Sucks, doesn't it?"
Charlotte didn't reply.
Mola dashed out of his hut, and torches everywhere were lit, causing the entire fortress to glow.
"Steef dude's here!" He said happily, banging on the door of a neat little house. A voice rang out from inside.
"Steef dude! S'up?" Ophelia asked, pushing open the house's door and running over. She shook Stranger's hand with her violently firm grip, and he flinched.
"Nuthin'." He said, pulling his hand free. "Just bounty huntin'."
"Good! Good! Well we've got two jobs for you now, fun, huh? Oh, and why did you come so late?"
Stranger lowered his head, his eyes dark, as though telling her to mind her own buisness. Ophelia stepped back a pace. "Uh, kay, no problem." She said quietly. Charlotte stared at him angrily.
Stop being such a jerk! She thought, her teeth locking tightly together inside her mouth.
Mola skipped around in a circle, tackling a sudden burst of energy. "You can show that chuggler that's been treating us like shit who's boss! All right, man! I'd do it myself, but he'd eat me..."
"S'no problem." Stranger growled. "But whats a chuggler?"
Mola stopped skipping. He punched his hand with his little fist, swaying in a fighting stance.
"Big fishhead, keeps stealing our food and picking on us!" He squealed. "You have to stop him. He said he was gonna eat us if we fought back!"
"Steef dude," Ophelia said, "he's really dangerous. We tried fighting him off, and... well, it was messy." She shook her head sadly.
"I can help." Charlotte offered. Stranger's face twitched, as though resisting a laugh. "I'm serious! I can fight just as well as you can!"
"Great!" Ophelia said enthusiastically, glad that she wouldin't have to help with any life-risking fighting. "You both outnumber him! This'll be easy!"
"When's he around?" Stranger asked.
"In the morning, really early." Mola said, rocking back and forth on his heels. Charlotte tossed back her head.
"Great, well, now that that's all sorted out i'm going to bed." She growled, swinging around and stalking back towards her house. For some reason she felt competitive towards Stranger, as though having him around made things worse for her. Buckner being dead, she decided. If I hadn't run into Stranger, maybe things would've been different.
She closed the door to her hut and collapsed on her bed, shivering despite the warm night air.
Mola blinked curiously. "Why's she so angry?" He asked, tapping his feet. Stranger shrugged and followed Ophelia back towards the heart of the fortress, where both their houses were.

[Oddey]

Oh so Stranger was bored and got back to bounty hunting! That's a good story but why would he want moolah now that he has nothing to use it for? Unless he's trying to get another operation. But bottom line an extremely good chapter! I don't really get it. The people who write the story hate it, but most of the readers like it. Strange.

[Moosh da Outlaw]

Sorry for writing such a confusing chapter last time, i'll try to do better.

-----

Charlotte sat up and stretched, squinting as bright morning light shone in her eyes. Her back ached from sleeping in a curled-position all night on a grubb-sized bed, which was only half her size. She sighed and looked out her window, where grbbs were already bustling with activity.
What was I doing again today? she wondered, rubbing her face. Oh, yeah. I have a chuggler to kill.
She grabbed her rifle before stepping out the door (she slept in her clothes, so she didn't need to change) and was instantly pile-driven to the ground.
"Oddammit!" Charlotte snapped, kicking Mola off her leg. "Watch where you're going!"
"Come on!" Mola said exitedly, jumping to his feet and pulling her roughly along by her hand. "Chugglers' this way!"
"I'm coming, i'm coming," she sighed, groggily following him to the docks.
Stranger was already there, absent-mindedly throwing rocks in the water. Sitting on the docks were four grubbs, including Ophelia, who were busy fishing.
"The chuggler steals our fish," Ophelia explained. "So if we catch a lot of fish, we'll catch the chuggler."
"Can't we have breakfast first?" Charlotte yawned.
"If the chuggler takes the fish, then there won't be breakfast." Mola reminded her. Charlotte grunted angrily.
Stranger threw one last rock in the water before speaking. "How long will this take?" He asked.
Mola shrugged as he waded out into the water. "I don't know, as long as it always takes."
Charlotte sat down with her legs over the side of the dock, watching the wetland stretched out before her. The water was a cool aquamarine color, with thick aquatic plants swaying in its depths. Hungry pike circled the lures the grubbs had cast out, and a small sandpiper-like bird skipped along the shore, whistling as it picked up small reeds in its beak. The wetland was peaceful and serene, and showed no signs of being the home of a hungry monster; but, deep in the water, under a large rock, something huge and lumpy sturred as it caught sight of the grubbs fishing. It hissed and slid out of its hiding place, towards the grubb fortress.
"Are you sure there's a chuggler round' here?" Stranger asked boredly after an uneventful half-hour had passed. A grubb nearby reeled in his catch and deposited it in a bucket.
"It might've gone away. At least, I hope it did." He said, casting out his line again. Ophelia shrugged.
"Who knows? It could've been bored of stealing from us, the lazy jerk."
Unexpectingly, the grubb next to her's rod jerked violently, and he started reeling in his line.
"Its a big one!" He said, bobbing up and down. He gasped as he rod bent and snapped in half completely. "My best rod!" He cried, stairing at the stump of wood in his hands. "That was my best rod!"
Charlotte nervously reached for her rifle. Stranger, who also seemed to sense something was wrong, placed a thugslug on the end of his bow. The grubb threw the wood angrily into the water.
"I spend weeks making that rod!" He moaned, slapping his forehead with his little hands. He was so angry that he failed to notice the water churning under the dock below him. He sighed and looked down into the water. But it was too late.
The dock roared and shattered, sending shards of wood flying in every direction. The entire front half of the dock vanished in a giant, rising fissure of bubbling water and steam. Grubbs were thrown everywhere, screaming, and Charlotte dropped her rifle in suprise.
"Mi watter!" The chuggler gurgled as water dripped from its gaping jaws. "My watter! MI WATTER!"
"Chuggler!" Mola screamed, running back to the fortress. Charlotte shakily reached down and picked up her rifle, cocked it, and aimed. The bullet rebounded off the creature's thick leather armor covering its face, including its eyes. Its head swung as it sniffed the air, seeking them out.
"Go away!" A wounded grubb screamed, backing away from the monster. The chuggler rounded on the terrified creature and snapped it up in its jaws, swallowing it hole.
"Mi watter!" It howled, water gushing from its throat. It ducked down, inhaled a lungful of water, and emerged again, whining angrily. It pulled itself up on the remains of the dock, scuttling awkwardly on its long, webbed toes, and stabbed the ground with its makeshift spear.
The chuggler was clumsy on land, could only breathe water, and couldin't see- it seemed that the only thing keeping it on the top of the food chain was its size and violent nature.
Stranger fired a thugslug, and it bounced off its long snout, It growled angrily. "Yew steel ma fish! Gimmie fish! I killiee you!"
It dove forward. Stranger jumped back and fired a dozen stingbees at its neck, causing blood to drip. It howled and scratched at its wound, its mouth foaming with anger. It barrel-rolled to the side, towards where Charlotte stood. She didn't have time to think; she jumped in the air, and suddently she found herself clinging to the monster's back,
"Shoot its neck!" Stranger advised, backing up and firing more stingbees at the spinning chuggler. Charlotte reached back, grabbed her rifle, and fired. Nothing happened.
"No bullets!" She cried as the monster rolled, trying to crush her. She put the rifle against its neck and pulled back, strangling it. It wailed angrily and reared up, flailing backwards into the water. The chuggler thrashed around, desperately trying to free itself.
Charlotte's teeth locked together as she held her breath. Her head throbbed, her vision blurred, and she wouldin't be able to hold on much longer...
She broke the surface and sucked in air greedily, her lungs aching with pain. The chuggler pulled itself up on land and collapsed, its head rolling limply. In its struggle its mask had fallen off, and its small milky eyes swiveled fearfully. Its body shuddered, and it stopped moving.
Charlotte dropped the rifle and rolled off the creature's back, panting. Stranger kicked the chuggler's sholder. It didn't react.
"Damn," he breathed, pulling back the monster's gum to reveal large, shearing teeth that could easily break a steef in half. Charlotte stood up and squeezed the end of her shirt, removing the water.
"Yaay! You did it!" Grubbs cheered, pouring out of the fortress and surrounding the dead chuggler.
"I saw the whole thing!" Mola said. "I would've helped, but, y'know..."
"That was amazing!" Ophelia squealed. "That chuggler won't bother us anymore!"
'What should we do with the body?" Charlotte asked.
"I'll send some grubbs to burn it out in the canyon." Ophelia said. "But for now, lets go have fish!"
She skipped off to collect the fish they had caught earlier. Charlotte nudged the dead chuggler nervously with the butt of her rifle, then followed the others to the broken dock.

[Moosh da Outlaw]

Here's a chuggler pic:


http://img247.imageshack.us/my.php?i...can0006nl6.jpg

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

I don't see the confusingness 8D.... Hmm. I can just see it; this could be the baby chuggler, mad that its territory is being pinched, then mummeh will come to crack some skulls. And someone dai'd 8O. Yay interestingness.

[Oddey]

That was awesome! I wonder what's next for Stranger and Charlotte though. I hope it's a spyider.

[Moosh da Outlaw]

That was awesome! I wonder what's next for Stranger and Charlotte though. I hope it's a spyider.

Thanks, but I don't think i'll be including any more spyiders for some time. C:

I don't see the confusingness 8D.... Hmm. I can just see it; this could be the baby chuggler, mad that its territory is being pinched, then mummeh will come to crack some skulls. And someone dai'd 8O. Yay interestingness.

Hmm, maybe its just me then. That chapter sounded confusing to me for some reason.

---

Charlotte had to admit that the grubbs were pretty good cooks. The pike they'd caught were cooked to perfection over a roaring fire, and she'd ended up eating four of them before she was satisfied. She sat with everyone else outside, licking her fingers and tossing a fishbone aside.
"What next?" She asked, sitting up. Ophelia sighed and daintily wiped her lips with a napkin.
"We have much to discuss in the temple," she said, "about the elder's predictions."
"Oh odd, those old geezers won't be there, will they?" Charlotte groaned. Ophelia looked as though she had been slapped.
"Of course they will! They predicted it in the firstplace. And since then they've had more predictions about you and Stranger's mission."
Charlotte's eyebrows contracted. "'Me and Stranger's?'"
Stranger had heard this. He double-taked, looking confused.
"What'r we doing?" He asked, the thought of having to do anything with Charlotte too much to bear.
"Oh, you know, a few errans..." Ophelia said, rolling her eyes. "...life-saving and such. Species-saving, in fact."
Stranger choked noticably. Charlotte jumped to her feet, her rifle in her hands.
"Your kidding!" She snarled, glaring at Stranger. "You can't... I'd never...!"
"...I don't mean it like that!" Ophelia snapped, slapping her forehead.
"Thank odd."
"I mean saving other steef. Living steef, y'know."
"Uh, right." Stranger sighed, looking immensely relieved. Charlotte sat back down, her face red.
"Lets go!" said Ophelia happily, springing to her feet. Charlotte made a huge effort of standing up again. Stranger did the same.
Ophelia marched up to the temple and pushed open the door. The three stepped inside and looked around.
"We really need all these grubbs here?" Stranger asked, looking from wall to wall. The building was packed with grubbs, all chattering at once.
"They all want to see if there's a chance of bringing the steef back," Ophelia explained, violently shoving the grubbs in front of her out of the way. She pushed her way through the crowd closely followed by Stranger and Charlotte. Stranger was obviously pissed to have to listen to hundreds of grubbs all talking at once; Charlotte looked claustrophobic.
"Move!" Ophelia yelled, pushing one final grubb out of the way. They'd finally forced their way onto a tall, circular stage in the middle of the temple, where the five grubb elders sat side-by-side on leafy cushions. "Elders!" Ophelia cried, "I bring you our steef."
Charlotte and Stranger stood there, unsure of what to do. The crowd fell silent.
Reed, who considered himself the lead elder, shifted his weary gaze on the pair. He nodded.
"Good. We have news."
"Good news!" Cod cut in, giddy with exitment. Reed coughed loudly before continuing.
"So far," he began, "we believe that there are seven steef left, including you two. We have reason to believe that there are more, but we are unsure, so we'll focus on what we've got. The five steef we haven't discovered are, coincidentally, somewhere in the mongo reigon, and we have a good idea of where they are.
"One is somewhere in the Mongo marshes, living in most dangerous conditions, but is somehow managing.
One is near New Yolk city. You can't really go there, though; everyone knows Stranger's a steef out there.
One lives out in the badlands, where nobody dares to venture.
And," he said triumphantly, "two are said to be living in the legendary grubb village Nether, high atop an ancient canyon in the desert. But nobody is sure if the Nethergrubbs are even real."
"Wait," Stranger said, "you know where five steef live."
"Yup."
"...and they all live in hostile places?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Stranger nodded slowly.
"So!" Reed spread his arms. "Where would you like to go first?"
"Can't we think about it first?" Charlotte asked weakly. All the grubbs in the room wilted in dissapointment.
"You aren't ready to look for more steef?" Ophelia wimpered.
"No! Its not that, its just..." Charlotte scratched her head, "is that all the information you can give us."
"I'm afraid so." The grubb seer Beetle said, shaking his head.
There was a long pause. Charlotte bit her tounge, deep in thought. Stranger fell silent and looked at the ground. Finally she turned to him.
"How about we look for those ones living in the Nethervillage?" She suggested. "If we find two steef in one, they can help us look for more steef."
"Sounds fine t'me." Stranger shrugged. Ophelia butted in.
"Wait!" She squeaked. "Before you go chasing a grubb village that might not even exist, maybe you should look for someone else? Just in case?"
"Okay, who?"
"The steef in New Yolk," Reed recommended, "its the closest one. And New Yolk isn't huge, you could find him or her easily."
"But Stranger can't go there," Brook said. "Try the steef in the marshes first, that should be easy."
"No way! We can't have them up to their waist in mud without some more help," Minnow growled. "Go to the badlands, its not as bad as it sounds..."
Stranger settled the matter. "We'll go to New Yolk first, its closest. Charlotte cn'look fer the steef there, they don't know who she is."
"Good idea!" Reed nodded. The other two seers shook their heads sadly. "You can set off tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Charlotte echoed. "Why so soon?"
Ophelia rounded on her. "If you want more steef, then you need to hustle and find 'em!"
"I'm not the one that wanted to do this!" Charlotte growled.
"But you do want to find more steef."
"True," Charlotte sighed.
"Well then!" Mola said, weaving his way through the crowd. "Its settled! Tomorrow it is! Can I come?"
"No." Ophelia growled. "You're the last person they'll need."
"Actually, thats not such a bad idea," Cod beamed. "He can be your pack mule."
"Wait!" Mola yelped.
"Too late, you're the pack mule. You said you wanted to come." Stranger said. Mola began to argue, but his voice trailed off.
"Okay." He sniffed. "I'll do it. But I won't like it."
"We didn't ask if you would like it." Stranger growled. Mola shriveled.
"I'll go away now." He wimpered, backing into the crowd.
"Tomorrow," Ophelia sighed as grubbs began to leave the temple, hurriedly talking. "I hope you two are ready."
She left with the rest of the grubbs, leaving Charlotte and Stranger alone in the wide temple.

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

And so it continues. I remeber my Stranger fanfic, I had a bunch of steef characters, one was a big black one used as a matador-bull type thing...Anyways, enough of me, yay you 8D.

[Moosh da Outlaw]

And so it continues. I remeber my Stranger fanfic, I had a bunch of steef characters, one was a big black one used as a matador-bull type thing...Anyways, enough of me, yay you 8D.

I already said this but I read your fic, you should seriously continue. I really want to know what happens next. C:

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

I already said this but I read your fic, you should seriously continue. I really want to know what happens next. C:

C8 Well okays master, I'm assuming the mean this one http://www.oddworldforums.net/showthread.php?t=15378 ? My Stranger fanfic is at DA, I should edit it sometime 8D.

[Oddey]

That was a good chapter. Poor Mola. He's kind of funny. I almost don't even have to say to continue but I will anyway. Continue!

[Moosh da Outlaw]

C8 Well okays master, I'm assuming the mean this one http://www.oddworldforums.net/showthread.php?t=15378 ? My Stranger fanfic is at DA, I should edit it sometime 8D.

Actually I meant the one on your deviantart. I recognized your avvie, i'm assuming you're the same person. C:

That was a good chapter. Poor Mola. He's kind of funny. I almost don't even have to say to continue but I will anyway. Continue!

Thanks, i'm really glad people like my fic so far.

Btw, I skipped the part on them traveling to New Yolk City. Nothing really happened during that time, and it wasted space.
And I made this chapter short because my next chapter will be really, really long.

-----


Bang! Bang! Bang!
Charlotte opened her eyes and glanced out the window. It was early morning; there was hardly any light outside, and the lights were off in every building all around.
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!
The frantic slamming on her door persisted. She groaned, got to her feet, and staggered to the door. She opened it.
"Come on, we have to go!" Mola said, bobbing up and down. He was wearing a new pair of swimming trunks, his same domed-straw hat, had a satchel over one arm.
Charlotte closed the door.
She cleaned her face with a bucket of water on her nightstand and began packing her things, her eyes distant and slightly crossed. Her exhausted brain processed a thought, and she opened the door again.
"What the hell are you doing here? Its like six in the morning," she yawned. Mola grinned.
"We need to go! We have no time to waste!" He said urgently.
"Have you woken Stranger up yet?" She asked.
"I tried," Mola sighed, "but he threw his boots at me."
"I'm going back to bed." She said, closing the door again. Mola tried to protest but gave up and sat at her doorstep, watching as the sun slowly rose. He closed his eyes and sighed, mentally preparing himself for the trip.

---

It had only taken a few hours to get to New Yolk. They ran into a few outlaws along the way, but they were pushovers; Mola was the only person who had seemed uneasy when they had attacked. Despite their uneventful journey they were all relieved when they had finally arrived.
"Here we are," Stranger said as they left the port athority. It was late, and clakkers usually weren't out; it would be safe for Stranger to be in town for the moment.
"New Yolk." Mola said exitedly. "I always wanted to see it. I heard its really big."
"Its as big as any clakker town." Stranger shrugged. "Jus' twice as many clakkers."
"We should have no problem then," Charlotte smiled; but the glow quickly left her face as they entered the town.
The place was crawling with clakkers, outlaws, and wolvarks alike, and none of them seemed to notice the trio.
"This is New Yolk?" Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not anymore..." Stranger muttered. Groups of outlaws and wolvarks were huddled around a fire lit in a trashcan, discussing hunting tactics. Posh clakkers sat in front of the bounty store, wielding rifles and polishing gore-splattered beartraps. But there was something else there that sent a shiver down their spines; it was the fact that on every billboard, every electricity pole and in every window, there was a steef head wanted poster.
Charlotte caught on. She backed up, her spine ridgid. "We have to get out of here..." she whispered, terror in her voice. If any of them looked their way, they would both be dead. She turned swiftly on her heel and began stalking away, trying to act casual, when unexpectantly a short clakker jumped in front of her.
"Howdy!" He squeaked, causing Charlotte to jump. "You here for 'the Hunt?'"
"'The Hunt?'" She echoed. The clakker nodded vigorously.
"The steef hunt! There's been loads of sightings around here. Rumor has it that it could be the last steef in the Mongo reigon!"
The clakker failed to notice the terror flooding Charlotte's face. Stranger grabbed her wrist and tugged it.
"Lets go." He said quickly, tightening his grip. She followed him back to the port athority without saying a word, her eyes cloudy and disoriented. She blinked furiously, struggling to form words, when suddently she snapped.
"How could they do that?" She cried. "Its disgusting! That poor steef, does it even know its being hunted? There were so many of them, it won't stand a chance!"
"You used to be an outlaw, you should be used to killing people." Stranger growled, though it was obvious that he was just as upset as she was.
"But this is differant!" She sniffled.
"Hey guys!" Mola piped up, standing on his tip-toes to get their attention. "If we find the steef first there won't be any problems."
"But what chance will we have?" Stranger asked, rubbing his eyes. Charlotte fell silent.
"Not a good one," Mola muttered. "But what choice do we have?

---

Boe Badagger had a reputation in the Mongo reigon for being an expert steef poacher; if anyone had a chance at killing that steef, he did, at least thats what he thought. He sat by one of the trashcan fires in the middle of town, waiting for an update from one of his crew. He wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, a white shirt with two strips of machine-gun ammo crisscrossing his chest, and torn shorts.
"What is it?" The tall wolvark growled as he took a deep breath from one of his cigars. One of the outlaws in his gang spoke quickly.
"There's been another sighting down by the water a few minutes ago," he informed, looking to make sure nobody was listening in. "Its a big one, looks dangerous, man."
Boe sighed and tapped his cigar, causing ash to fall. "No problem," he grinned, pulling a long metal coil from his back pocket. It was thickly woven, and had a loop at one end- every steef hunter had one. It was a cruel device used for containing and strangling dangerous male steef. "Its nothing we can't handle. Get the rest of the gang, we got a steef ta hunt!"

[Oddey]

I can just imagine that. It resemble New York very well. Or at least quite a while back. I am dieing to hear more on the hunt for the steef. And this device you speak of goes great with it. Makes him seem even more diabolic. More please!

[Moosh da Outlaw]

Sorry it took so long, I've had a busy week.

-----

The first rays of morning light shone through the treetops, illuminating the trickling water and moist sand below. A chippunk crawled out of a small hole in a tree, yawning as it bounced around, only to be scared back inside again seconds later.
BLAM!
Gunfire echoed above the Mongo river, causing Bo Bedagger to flinch.
"Idjit!" He snarled, tearing the gun from the outlaw's hand. "Ya don't fire at everything that moves! Yer gonna scare the steef away!"
"S'rry boss." The outlaw wimpered, ducking down as if to avoid Bo's wrath. Bo made a habit of being tempermental during hunts; often the angrier he became, the closer they came to making a catch.
"Fools." The wolvark hissed, scoping the area with wide-brimmed binoculars. "Gonna scare it away. I didn't come all the way fer nothin'."
He stuffed the binoculars in his satchel and bent down, examining the sand below his feet. The outlaws and wolvarks in his group behind him gossiped, unaware that he was listening.
"I heard a guy over by the abandoned grubb graveyard got the shit beaten out of him by that steef..."
"...yeah, thats what I heard, he shot at it before he was even in range, the idiot--"
"Hey!" Bo snarled, slamming one of the outlaws with a rock-hard fist. "Enough gossip, lazy asses! We've got a trail!"
"Where?" The outlaw sputtered, picking himself off the ground and wiping blood from his lip.
"Look." Bo grumbled, pointing to a single hoof print in the sand. "Its facing towards the wilds."
"So?" An outlaw asked. Bo smacked him to the ground as well.
"Moron! It means the steef's in the Mongo wilds! Use your brain!" He snapped, cocking his rifle. The outlaw wimpered pitifully.
"O-okay boss." He stuttered, picking himself up off the ground. Bo signalled for the group to follow.
"Come on." He grumbled, pushing aside some bracken and heading deeper down the valley. He placed a hand against his brow and scanned the horizon, his piercing yellow eyes bright with exitement. "Look! There!"
The wolvark skipped over to a nearby tree, giggling like a happy child. He pointed to a deep groove in the bark that looked like it had been cut by a knife. "Claw mark! We're getting closer!"
He skipped onward, brimming with anticipation. The outlaw behind him fingered the mark.
"Don't look like nuthin to me," he muttered. He knew better than to tell Bo, though.
"We'll set up here," Bo said, marking the ground with his foot. "Plant a few beartraps, a snare or two, you know, the usual."
They got to work. They opened beartraps and hid them under leaves, placed snares and nooses at neck level inbetween branches, and dug spikes into the ground. Bo loaded his weapon.
"Good work. Now all we have to do is wait."

---

A long procession of steef hunters left New Yolk, eager to get a head start in the hunt. Many were leaving at once, unwilling to be beat by other hunters. Charlotte, Stranger and Mola found themselves inbetween two groups as they passed through the New Yolk Athority.
"I remember," a clakker recalled, "one time, I had one cornered near Dead Hen's Pass..."
Charlotte felt a peculiar feeling rising in her stomach. It traveled up her back until she felt the hairs on her neck rise, and she closed her fist. She was tempted to tear the face off of everyone talking about how they had killed a steef.
"Oh, yeah..." another clakker said. "I tracked down two steef by Buzzarton one time, it only took one bullet-"
"No kidding? How'd ya manage that?" Another asked. The clakker stuck out his chest proudly.
"I just have really good aim, I guess. It wasn't hard, really."
"Don't do it," Stranger growled threataningly as he saw Charlotte reaching for her rifle. She grunted angrily and stashed her weapon.
They left the port athority and found themselves standing on the docks overlooking the water. Mola squealed and cannon-balled into the water, causing fish to dash away.
"Where do we start?" Stranger asked, gazing around. Charlotte shrugged.
"Wherever we want to go." She said. Mola poked his head out of the water.
"How about the wilds?" He suggested, paddling in circles. "If I were a steef, i'd hide there."
"Yeah, but I bet all the hunters are going there." Stranger sighed.
"Then we'll get there first!" Mola grinned, clamoring onto the dock and running down the bank. Charlotte and Stranger followed, their eyes shifting uneasily. Somehow they knew something was wrong.
Mola ran twice as fast as they did, and he soon vanished into the bracken.
"Do you think we'll find anything?" Charlotte asked. Stranger scratched his head.
"I dunno, we might find something-"
"WAARGH!" An earsplitting scream sounded ahead, followed by a loud clang. Something thrashed around violently in front of them, causing the trees to rattle. An outlaw's voice called from behind a tree:
"Hey, we got summat!"
"Hide!" Charlotte hissed, diving into the bushes. The two steef moved through the underbrush soundlessly, and peeked through the leaves.
"Hey!" an outlaw yelled, sounding cheated. "Its not a steef at all!"
A particularly tall and slim wolvark leapt out from behind a tree, his teeth bared. "Some dumb grubb got caught in our trap, eh?" He snarled, prodding Mola with his rifle.
Mola was handing upside-down by his foot in a snare hanging in the trees. How he had managed to get his foot caught in a snare twice as high up as he was, Charlotte didn't know.
"Lemmie go!" He cried, thrashing around. "You'll regret it!"
"Oh, really?" The wolvark chuckled, grabbing Mola by the neck. "I'll regret it? What'll you do, tough guy?"
"I won't do anything," Mola said, crossing his arms, "but I know someone who will."
Mola looked expectingly into the bushes.
Oh, he means us? Charlotte thought with a sigh. Sorry Mola, you're stuck for now.
"I said," Mola said loudly, "I know someone who will do something..."
"Should we help him?" Charlotte asked Stranger, her voice barely audible.
"Hell no." Stranger growled.
There was a pause. Mola started wimpering, his eyes as large as saucers and his lip trembling. "Guys? Guys!"
"Enough games," The wolvark snarled, tearing down the snare, and Mola along with it. "You got in our trap, you're gonna suffer fer it!"
"Yeah!" Other outlaws and wolvarks joined in, emerging from behind trees and under bushes. Mola seemed to sink into himself, as if trying to make himself smaller. He wimpered, his eyes wet.
"You jerks!" He yelped, looking around in the bushes. Stranger sighed.
"I guess we need to save him," he admitted. He pulled a bolamite from his bag...
...something huge and deadly mowed through the ferns near the water, moving abnormally swiftly despite its bulk. A voice like an avalanche echoed down the canyon, a huge roar that caused the water to tremble...
"The steef!" The wolvark cried, cramming bullets into the back of his rifle. "Its close! C'mon, boys!"
"What about the grubb?" One asked, giving Mola a swift kick. He tumbled through the bushes with a satisfying thump.
"Leave it, its not worth anything!" The wolvark hissed, dashing across the shore. His gang of outlaws closely followed. Once she was sure they were gone, Charlotte emerged from the bushes.
"You okay, Mola?" She asked, laying a hand on the grubb's sholder. He looked crestfallen.
"You didn't save me!" He whispered, tears streaming down his face.
"C'mon Mola," Stranger said, standing up. "What did you think we could do?"
"Stop them!" He cried, causing tears to fleck the floor. Charlotte sighed.
"I'm sorry Mola, I really am, but we've got to hurry, the steef's nearby!" She stood up, bringing Mola to a standing position. He swiped his arm across his eyes.
"Okay." he sniffled. The trio took off after the gang of outlaws.

---

Bo Bedagger always had a knack for doing things right; not just right, but extremely well. He could run faster than other wolvarks, jump higher than other wolvarks, and, by wolvark standards, was incredibly handsome. His aim with a rifle was unmatched, his tactical skills were legendary, and his persistence was amazing. Too bad he focused all that energy on tracking down an endangered species.
"Ye-haw, boys!" He whistled, watching with awe as the giant lumbering creature before him slammed itself against a tree, knocking it flat. It was strong and fast for a steef, but startlingly un-coordinated. This was expected, though.
"Give it another one!" Bo snarled, jumping to the side as the monster charged, his head down. It plowed through the bushes and into the water, throwing his head angrily around. Its dark, messy fur matted its face, and a large scar running down the side of its face created a gap in its lips, revealing sharp teeth. Its angry yellow eyes swiveled as it struggled to pinpoint its target.
An outlaw fired a long, thin gun, striking the steef in the sholder. A small dart with a fluffy pink end shown through its fur, fluttering lightly in a breeze. Almost instantly the steef's left side slouched completely, and it roared angrily. Bo smiled. Soon the drug would disorient its mind completely, and its head would be his.
The steef charged, still dangerous, and impaled a wolvark on the end of its horns. It threw the limp body with a flick of its head. Outlaws and wolvarks swarmed in a tight circle around the monster, surrounding it. Its eyes were cloudy, and its head was low. Its chest heaved as it sucked in lungfuls of air. It couldin't think strait anymore- it slumped to the side, its left eye half closed.
An outlaw slid closer tenatively. It misjudged its footing, and the steef tumbled, crushing him. Unexpectantly it charged, killing dozens of Bo's gang in just one attack. Shots were fired, echoing wildly through the valley, and the steef relentlessly fought on.
Bo pulled the metal coil from his pocket and prepared to jump. It seemed like a foolish thing to do, but he was an expert steef hunter, and he knew how they fought. The steef brought his fist crashing down on an outlaw's skull. Bo saw his chance.
He sprang on the steef's back and wrapped the coil around its neck. Working quickly, he sent the end of the coil through the loop- the coil was ridged, so that it could tighten but not loosen. He pulled it back painfully far, and clung on desperately.

[Oddey]

That was so cool. Especially with Mola captured for a while even though I almost knew it was going to happen and something would get him out of that mess. I wonder if the steef will survive. If the coil can only tighten I think that it will be very hard to get it off. Keep going. I don't mind the wait.

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

Awesomes...The steef can remind me of my steef character Minotaur, he was all roary and had to kill to live. Plus he has bullhorns, I'm guessing the steef here has bullhorns and that's how he could stab the guy...I'm guessing som of them died from being trampled? Aaaaanyway, next chapter plz.

[Moosh da Outlaw]

That was so cool. Especially with Mola captured for a while even though I almost knew it was going to happen and something would get him out of that mess. I wonder if the steef will survive. If the coil can only tighten I think that it will be very hard to get it off. Keep going. I don't mind the wait.

Yeah, i'm still trying to figure out how they could get it off. :/

Awesomes...The steef can remind me of my steef character Minotaur, he was all roary and had to kill to live. Plus he has bullhorns, I'm guessing the steef here has bullhorns and that's how he could stab the guy...I'm guessing som of them died from being trampled? Aaaaanyway, next chapter plz.

No, he has normal curly horns. C:
Isn't a minotaur one of those greek monsters with the bull head? Clever name btw.

-----

"We must be getting closer!" Charlotte announced, ducking to avoid a low-hanging branch. Mola, Stranger and Charlotte ran after the sound of shouting outlaws and stamping hooves growing in the distance, looking tense. They burst through the grove of trees and skidded to a hault.
Shit! Charlotte cursed silently. Are we too late?
The wolvark they saw before was strutting around, talking to his gang.
"That was one hell of a fight, eh?" He asked, aiming a swift kick at the steef lying face-down in the dust. "I can't wait to see the look on my brother's faces when they hear about this!"
"Y-yeah." An outlaw stuttered. Charlotte could tell by the way he limped that the steef had broke his leg. "It w-was one hell uvva--"
He collapsed in a heap. It was obvious that the gang had never fought anything as violent and dangerous as the steef. The other outlaws and wolvarks all around were picking themselves up, groaning as they held their wounds. One wolvark dragged itself towards the water, a hole in its back where the steef had trampled it, and died. The head wolvark paid no notice.
"Aw, stop being such babies! Look, we got what we came for!" He grabbed the steef by its hair and looked at its face. He sneered. "Ew, he's a pretty ugly fella, aint he? Oh well, his head don't have to go on a wall. We could always stuff him-"
A thugslug pummeled against his tempel, and the wolvark flip-flopped to the ground. The rest of the gang, who couldin't defend themselves, staired on helplessly as Stranger picked up the stunned wolvark and threw it into the water just because he could.
"Is it still alive?" Mola asked, nudging the steef with his foot. Its flank trembled slightly as it sucked in a feeble breath. Charlotte knelt down and started cutting through the wire with a pocket knife, looking utterly dwarfed in comparison to his size. The final wire snapped, and the steef gasped in greedy lungfuls of air, but didn't get up. His eyes were filmed over and it was still twitching.
Charlotte grabbed one of the outlaws by the collar of its shirt, disreguarding its wounds. "What's wrong with it?" She demanded.
The outlaw's eyes turned fearfully. "Nothing!"
"Don't look like nuthing." Stranger growled, loading fuzzles on the end of his bow. The outlaw gave in.
"Okay, we did do something--"
"What?" Charlotte snapped.
"I'm getting to that! We drugged it so it couldin't fight-"
"And it still kicked your asses." Mola added dully, crossing his arms. The outlaw gulped.
"Y-yeah, it did."
"You drugged it so that it couldin't fight?" Charlotte snarled, shaking the outlaw violently. "You bastard! It didn't have a chance to fight back!"
The outlaw cringed, his voice shrill. "I h-have the antidote in my pocket--"
Charlotte swept the antidote from his pocket and dropped him carelessly. She popped open the bottle's lid and crouched by the steef, whose eyes had fallen shut. She pulled up the side of his lip and emptied the bottle's contents between his teeth, tilted back his head so it trickled down his throat, and waited. Nothing happened.
"It t-takes a while." The outlaw wimpered when he saw Stranger test his bow. "Please don't kill me."
Charlotte shrugged. "You'd better hope for your sake that you're right."
They sat around and waited, scrunching their noses as the scent of blood wafted past their nostrils. Everyone who had survived the attack had limped or dragged themselves away, not wanting to be around when the steef woke up. The wolvark that Stranger had thrown in the water had swam away, sobbing.
The steef's breathing slowly steadied, and it seemed calmer. But it still didn't move.
Mola splashed around in the water, picking up pretty shells. "How long has it been?" he asked.
Stranger looked up at the sun. "An hour, maybe."
Charlotte leaned against a tree, snoring loudly. Mola splashed her and she jumped up, startled.
"Wha? Whatimiss?" She asked, looking around.
"Nothing." Stranger growled.
"Nothing? Still?" She asked worriedly. She stood up and dusted herself off.
They didn't realise it, but for a second nobody was looking the steef's way. This was followed by a loud trampling of hooves, and angry shouts from Mola.
"It moved! And its running away!" He yelped, springing from the water. It bowled through the trees and vanished farther down the shore.
"Dammit!" Stranger cursed, following after on all fours. Charlotte and Mola followed, squinting as afternoon light shone in their eyes. Something suddently struck Charlotte.
"No!" She shouted. "Its heading for the docks! It'll get killed if it goes there!"

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

Numa numa yay! I still wonder how he can stab with curly horns, but oh well. And he is all Minotaur-ish, plus tranquilizers can kill, whoo. And yeah, the Minotaur was one of those Greek myths and you has the skill and motivation of a super peanut, so carry on 8).

[Oddey]

Cool! So that's why the steef just laid down. It was pretending so it could run when they weren't looking. I can imagine Stranger picking up that Wolvark and throwing him straight into the water. Peanuts are yummy so I hope that for your sake it proves you have more skill and motivation than a super peanut. Maybe a golf ball?

[Moosh da Outlaw]

Numa numa yay! I still wonder how he can stab with curly horns, but oh well. And he is all Minotaur-ish, plus tranquilizers can kill, whoo. And yeah, the Minotaur was one of those Greek myths and you has the skill and motivation of a super peanut, so carry on 8).

I take it that's a good thing? o.o;

Cool! So that's why the steef just laid down. It was pretending so it could run when they weren't looking. I can imagine Stranger picking up that Wolvark and throwing him straight into the water. Peanuts are yummy so I hope that for your sake it proves you have more skill and motivation than a super peanut. Maybe a golf ball?

Or a mango. Mango's are pretty super.

-----

A clakker stood on the shore of the Mongo river by the docks, enjoying the sun. Another clakker walked up to him.
"Boy oh boy, sure nice weather were havin'." The clakker said. The other clakker nodded.
"Tcheah, you're right about that--- YEARGH!"
They were both instantly plowed to the ground.
"Do something!" Charlotte screamed, jumping back as the steef reared up on its hind legs and kicked the clakkers' aside. Stranger rounded on her.
"What am I supposed to do?" He demanded.
"Do what you always do!"
"STEEF!" Clakkers wailed, swarming inside the skycart building. "Its gunna eat us!"
The steef swung his heavy head as he looked around, utterly confused. He had run to get away from hunters, not find them!
He roared angrily and bolted, his head down. His thick horns crushed through boxes and barrels as it charged, throwing shards of wood in every direction. Stranger fired a bolamite as they struggled to keep up, but it wasn't enough to stop the steef, so he seathed his bow and sprinted after it on all fours.
The steef cleared a fallen log in the road with one mighty bound, its round eyes blazing with hate, and scuttled across the bridge.
Mola dove in the water and skimmed below its surface like a fish, moving at lightning speed. Then he tilted his head and darted from the river's surface, landing right in front of the steef. It was an impressive move; unfortunately it just made the steef feel more trapped than before.
"Stop!" Mola yelled. His eyes were wide and angry, as though trying to push the steef away with brainpower alone. "We mean you no harm!"
"Its true." Charlotte pleaded. "Just calm down."
The steef's hair matted its face, blotting out all facial features exept its eyes, which were bright with fear. Its head swiveled and it ducked down, unsure.
Charlotte slowly moved closer. She lifted her hand carefully, making small, soothing noises. The steef made no move to stop her. She continued sliding her feet until she was just feet away. The steef's ears started turning, and it snorted, backing up against the cliff's wall.
"Its okay," Charlotte whispered. Her fingertips smoothed down the fur behind his ears, and smiled when it seemed to calm down.
"This way!" They heard a clakker shout. "The steef's this way!"
"Shit," Stranger cursed as he caught sight of a large group of steef-hunters running up the path. The steef grunted and stood up, baring his sharp, shearing teeth.
"There it is!" Somebody screamed. Without hesitating the steef dashed forward, slamming into the crowd with the force of a charging bull. The startled cries of clakkers and wolvarks soon echoed off the canyon walls.
"This way!" Mola squeaked, making a break for the path. The four weaved around the dock and hurried up the steep hill to the port athority.
The clakker inside was idily preening his feathers, and fell out of his chair when he saw the steef jump through the entrance and continue down the tunnel.
They left the port athority, and caused a huge uproar as they sped from one side of New Yolk to the other. Shots were fired and threats were screamed, but it was nothing they couldin't handle.
With New Yolk far behind them, the four finally stopped to rest. The steef stamped the ground with its hooves as if anticipating another attack.
"I think we lost em'." Stranger grunted, looking down the path. The sounds of the city had died away in the distance, leaving an eerie silence.
"What were you doing here?" Charlotte asked the steef gently. The steef shook its head angrily, and spoke in primitive barks, as if it rarely spoke.
"Hiding." It growled.
"Why here?" She asked.
"Because."
"Why?" She scratched her head.
"I had nowhere to go." It said quietly.
"Good!" Mola said happily. "You can come with us, then."
The steef ducked its head, his eyes shifting worriedly.
"Why?" He demanded. Stranger shrugged and leaned against the canyon wall.
"Tha's why we came here," he said.
The steef seemed unconvinced. It tilted back its head and perked its ears, listening for the sound of steef hunters lurking in the bushes. He heard nothing.
"My name's Charlotte." Charlotte smiled, motioning towards Stranger and Mola. "And this is Stranger and Mola."
"I'm Cyren." the steef muttered, looking satisfied. "Why were you looking for me?"
"Its hard to explain," Charlotte sighed.
"Fine," the steef said uneasily. "I guess I'll come with you."

[Oddey]

What a chapter. That was fantastic! Next time I'll have to eat peanuts with it. Or popcorn.

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

You spell couldin't wrong, its spelt couldn't. Just me criticising 8D.

Aaaaanyway...Yay steef can speak! And he is secretely Charlotte's daddeh and Stranger's ex boyfriend and the son of Mola! I kid, you has more motivation than me, carry on for the souls and pwnage.

And the Chuggler pic reminds me of an outlaw with bandages and nu eyes .

[Moosh da Outlaw]

-The Next Day-

"I'm ruined!" The wolvark sobbed, slamming his head against the bar's table. The barkeeper replaced the beer bottle held loosely in the wolvark's hand with a full one, which the wolvark drank greedily. The barkeeper was used to people like him; they stumbled into his bar, sobbing like maniacs, and drank so much that they forgot what they were upset about to begin with. He didn't mind, though. Most people paid their tabs, drunk or not.
"What's wrong?" The barkeeper dared to ask, cleaning a glass with a dirty cloth. The wolvark sat up suddently, shivering despite the warm air.
"It... was... horrible!" He screamed, grabbing the barkeeper by the collar of his shirt. He continued to clean his glass as though nothing had happened.
"Go on," said the barkeeper.
The wolvark sniffled loudly. "Get this; we heard of this steef, right? Damn monster, it was! We caught it too, we were gonna sell it, we would've made a fortune, but..." he collapsed suddently, soaking the table with unsupressed tears. The barkeeper patted him on the back.
"It got away?" He asked gently.
"Worse! Someone s-stole it! And it was still alive! I didn't even get ta skin it!" he howled, his voice muffled by the table. His hand closed tightly around his glass until it threataned to break. The bartender looked perplexed.
"Someone stole it? Before you killed it?" He asked. The wolvark nodded.
"Two furry freaks an' a grubb. An odd-damn grubb! How the hell did I let myself get beat by them?"
"Tell me," somebody sitting in the corner of the bar said, "what did these 'furry freaks' look like?"
The wolvark sneezed loudly, his cheeks and nose turning red. The effects of the alchohol were beginning to show.
"Well, uh... I don't know." He muttered. "One was a tall fella with a cowboy hat and a bag full of live animals, the other was... a woman, I think, grey all over with a painted rifle..."
"Hmm." The man muttered, draining his beer in one gulp. The wolvark was startled to see that the man was smoking four cigars at once, held together by a rubber band. "I think I can help you."
"Yeah?" The wolvark asked dully, slouching drunkedly against the table. "How's that?"
"I think I know who you're looking for." The man said.
The wolvark sat up, his eyes wide. "Ya do?" He asked wearily. The man nodded.
"Oh yeah, sure do." He said. "I just need to know where they last were."
"Well, I was in Buzzarton... no, wait... New Yolk, yeah, that was it." The wolvark muttered. The man shook his hand, but he hardly noticed.
"What's yer name?" He asked. The wolvark scratched his head, thinking hard.
"Bo Bedagger. Yours?" He finally said. The man nodded and twirled his cigars, smiling evily.
"Willie Royalle," he said, exhaling a lungful of smoke into the bar.

---

"Are we there yet?" Mola groaned, kicking a rock as he walked along. It skidded down the rocky path, scaring off a group of birds.
"Does it look like we're there?" Stranger asked, crossing his arms. Mola blinked furiously.
"No." He said.
"So do you think we're there?" Stranger growled. Mola shook his head.
"Uh, no."
Stranger didn't answer. Mola looked confused, but didn't dwell on his question.
"Why were you wandering around the Mongo Wilds?" Charlotte asked as they continued down the winding canyon. Cyren snorted.
"S'not important." He muttered. Charlotte sighed loudly.
"It is important," She insisted. "We have a townful of headhunters after us. It would help if we had some information-"
"Its not important!" Cyren snarled. His sudden outburst made Charlotte jump.
"Okay!" She hissed. "Odd, you don't have to be such a jerk about it."
Charlotte suddently restented saying that. Cyren's nostrils flared and he lowered his head, as if preparing to charge.
"Whoa!" Charlotte yelped. "Uh, don't freak out or anything, okay?"
Cyren slowly relaxed, with a look on his face that translated into 'what did I do wrong?' Charlotte, however, remained tense, as though expecting him to burst at any second.
"We're almost there!" Mola laughed, running up a path at the side of the cliff. "Wanna go the fun way?"
Stranger grunted. "I don't think I'll like your 'fun way'." He muttered. But they followed anyway. Mola skipped along the top of the canyon, grinning exitedly. The light started fading over the cliffs in the distance, painting the sky violet and blood red. The dusty limestone cliffs glowed faintly as the final rays of light struck their pale grey sides, leaving their mark in the steadily growing shadows. Crickets chirped loudly, and somewhere in the distance a bird cawed. Mola slowly shrank in the distance as he skipped along.
"What is he doing?" Charlotte asked herself, watching from a distance as Mola broke into a run. Stranger scanned the horizon, his hand over his eyes.
"I dunno," he said.
Charlotte sighed. "It looks like he's going to... MOLA!" She screamed as Mola suddently vanished over the edge of the cliff. The three steef took off running, horror shining in their eyes.
Odd, odd odd... Charlotte thought angrily. Why the hell can't he just sit still?!
They skidded to a hault as they came to the edge of the cliff. Charlotte shuddered violently, preparing to look over the edge at Mola's little, shattered body...
Shimmering in the evening light, about twenty yards down, was the wetland, abundant with sounds of life. A large foamy ring faded away where Mola had dived. He was floating on his back, grinning up at them.
"The water's great!" Mola shouted, failing to notice the immense anger building on the steef's faces. Charlotte stamped her foot, her fists clenched so tightly together that her arms shook.
"MOLA! Imma fvcking kill you!" She screamed, jumping in after him. For a moment she hung suspended in the air, stairing down at the water. She dropped like a rock and hit the water with a loud slap, causing Mola to flinch.
"Spare me!" He cried, backstroaking away as fast as he could. "I know not of what I do!"
She ran after him (the water was up to her neck), bristling with anger. Cyren leapt off the cliff with a triumphant roar, creating a gargantuain splash. Stranger searched the edge of the cliff for a way to climb down, but when he found none he shrugged and sprang forward.
By the time they reached the fortress it was dark. They entered the camp and were greeted by a deafaning roar as the grubbs cheered, glad to see their mission was a success.
Mola grinned and waved, absorbing the attention like a sponge. Cyren stood motionless, his eyes slowly searching the crowd for enemies. Ophelia pulled on Stranger's hand.
"Come," she said quietly. Her eyes were wide, but she wasn't smiling. In fact, she looked upset. "I'm afraid I have bad news."

[Zozo the Zrilufet]

8O Eh oh, bad news, now I'm nosey and you has to update. I've noticed you change the spelling of Cyren to Ciren a couple of times, then again I is a grammar nazi, sooo...Continue 8D!