"I'd ask what's in them sheds a'burnin' but I can smell it," Beren said to Angus as they sped toward the village and then stopped to assess the situation before the others caught up with them. "Aye, grain an' hay. Them grain fires burn hot! Looks like some o' Mog's army got across before Gwidion set the river rampagin'. There's more here than before...a lot o' weres too! We can't use Gorm...can we? He'd set the whole bloody lot on fire" The battle-cries and clashing from beyond were muted by the wind but still loud. "He can pick off stragglers out here an' back there at the bridge. I just hope there ain't no folk hidin' in the longhouse there. Tis sure ta catch fire soon. Wonder if I can find Lali. She could tell. I'm goin up ta the wall there, see if she's there or I can spot 'er below. Can't miss that hair of 'ers in this lot. I'll be back soon...ah!" There was a sudden, blinding flash of light from the wall. "There she be. Clever girl!" Beren grinned. "She must see us. Watch them two weres o'er there. Cut 'em down if they start attackin'...anyone. Them's Mog's beasts." "I might just sneak up on 'em 'fore they do!" Angus replied, leaving little doubt he would. He watched Beren whoosh away toward the wall. Beren had his own sort of magic. Angus turned to see how far behind Morgan and the rest were. They were coming up fast, with Magnus and Alduin, it looked like. Morgan's wolves had already arrived. It looked as if they were going to give the fian in the center there a bit of assistance - though there were others needed it worse. Angus turned back to the other weres then, and dropped into stealth mode. At least one of them wouldn't know what hit him. The other one wouldn't be around long enough to do anything about it. Unlike the fianna, these had passed into complete bestiality. They were no longer human, but feral vicious animals with something nearing the intelligence of humans...or fey...whatever they might previously have been. The longer they were in that state, the less reasoning and logical they became, running purely on instinct. There but for the graces of the gods and men like Morgan and Beren, who still held to the old codes established by Connor, he and all the other fianna would be. He couldn't even call this place home any more, nor mourn for all the years that had passed and the changes they'd brought. He loved his family - his true family - and wouldn't trade them for all those lost years here. Nevertheless, it was important to save these people from these monsters and from Mog's terrible machinations...and to help them afterward. Right now, however, nothing mattered but getting rid of this army conceived in the Darkness that was Mog's being. ***** Another of Arthur's (adorety's) brilliant backgrounds. I only added 'a little' smoke to it and the figures. Trying something a little different here with Beren's 'flight'. It didn't turn out quite like I imagined it, but you know how those things are. Lol. Thank you for stopping by, for looking, commenting and well...for your own cool pictures you share with us. Have a great day/evening dear friends! Rayvn