The hot light of the sun beat down on the long dirt road. It sat in the middle of two cornfields, with nothing but the slight breeze and the buzzing of crickets to join it. Only one living beast trekked down this lonely path, an uncommonly large wolf. Its albino fur seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, and its red eyes blinked wearily. Each pawstep sent little clouds of dust into the air, causing the wolf to give a small sneeze and shake its head.

Pausing for a moment, the bone-weary wolf lifted its head and sniffed the air, its tail wagging as it caught the scent of life, humanity, and civilization. The foot-falls came faster as the wolf began to run, gliding smoothly over the ground with a grace that belied it's starving and flea-bitten form.

In a few moments, the wolf found itself on the outskirts of a small town, with the tip of a circus tent rising in the distance. The once ectastic wolf was now pacing the ground, growling to itself in such a way that it seemed as if it was speaking to itself. In a way, it was.

Do I dare enter? thought the wolf somberly, its head hanging. I've been a wolf so long...my humanity is slipping away. And the bloodlust... The wolf gave a little whimper of annoyance and shook its head. Snap out of it Niahm, you need to eat. And besides, when did you ever slip into the bloodlust near a human? The wolf sighed and skirted around the town till it reached the circus, its target. 

Lurking in the shadows of the wagons, the wolf slowly made its way across the circus's camp, sniffing the air for signs of discarded food.

[[Okay. D:< but still. *rumble grumble*
ALSO, yes, Det you are amazinggg. Spider is going to share his pancakes with Niamh. If he isn't terrified of her.]]

Spider jumped slightly as Raphael spoke. People really needed to stop sneaking up on him like that. "Reallyy?" He asked, with some keen interest as he stared longingly at the food van. He looked back at Dravius, thinking about gra.ss stains. Could his hair get stained like that? He'd never tried before... perhaps he could add that to his agenda for the day.

He wondered why Dravius was so surprised people threw things at him. "Maybe not so much "people". Mostly my cousin. Sometimes I don't listen quick enough and I have to be scared away." He said, as if it made the best sense ever. Spider looked at Kioko, wanting to make sure she was going into the van with them, and went in after Dravius. "Only apples? I don't like them so much. The green ones are okay."

Kioko followed the others into the van, picking up a plate as she went.  "That's not very nice of him," Kioko remarked to Spider.  "It sounds like he has a short temper.  My dad was like that," she continued, piling pancakes onto her plate.  "He didn't throw things alot, but he shouted whenever I did something to make him mad.  Mom would throw things alot, but not always at me.  Sometimes her and dad would yell at each other and she'd throw things at him."  She followed along the serving line, picking up different foods as she went.  

"Green apples?  I don't the green ones so much." the girl continued.  "The red ones are sweeter.  I like those and the yellow ones.  Could you pas.s me that syrup?"  She asked Spider, who was standing in front of her in the line.

((Grr.  My brain has died >_<)) 

{~ Niamh likes pancakes...a lot :P ~}

The wolf couldn't help herself. The savoury scent of pancakes wafted through the air, causing Niamh's belly to rumble. Don't go you numbskull! her cautious side screamed in her head, but the temptation proved too great. Leaping forwards at a blinding speed, Niamh grabbed a jawful of flapjacks and skittered back into the shadows. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she berated herself, swallowing the pancakes before she was attacked. But they would have tasted better with some butter...or maple syrup.

((Aha... Darn it. Nylat, when you get back, I'll leave Alto to you. Or he can just go die somewhere. o_O))

Julian, now clearly getting impatient with his own hesitation, shoved the sword back into it's scabbard. He then turned and left, grmubling under his breath in an unintelligable tone. Whatever, Nylat could kill him if she wished, she'd probably have no trouble with it anyway and he wasn't going to stand around talking with some stranger all day.

He followed the Ring Masters tracks, walking beside Raphael as the blonde followed the others into the food van. Without getting anything to eat, both Ring Master and Sword Master sat themselves at a small table.

"Well?" Raphael asked, glancing away from Dravius and the two new people. He had as.sumed what Dravius had said to him was not all that true, considering Nylat's current mood, but chose not to ask. No doubt he's find out later.

Julian was silent for a moment, then shrugged. "I'm not wasting my time. Nylat's probably got more of a motive anyway... Not to mention some stranger thought he could keep Alto under control."He snorted quietly, crossing his arms and leaning against the back of the chair with his eyes closed.

Raphael sighed,only to be distracted by a larger than life wolf that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. "What in the-" He grumbled, looking over his shoulder at van door.

(( D; Raphael forgot about Jazz waiting. xD Anyways, I'm headed out.I leave nobody in charge of my characters.So, while I'm gone Jazz ran off to take naps and whatnot.Shizu is cooped up, and well Ria.I suppose she's just watching them okay?I should be back on this Friday. ))

Jazz sighed when she saw him go in, and followed before sitting down in one of the chairs."Jeez, Raphael you forgot about me again."She complained to him before looking to what was on plate.Noticing it was pancakes she tried some and smiled.They tasted great but she didn't question who made them.For all she know somebody could take it to offense.She really needed to find the right time to talk to Raphael."Hmmm...I believe that was the second time you forgot but it's fine.I mean you are pretty busy."She said to him in an attempt to show she was fine that he forgot.It was true he was busy.Being in charge around here was a full-time job.

Niamh growled, the fur rising on her shoulders and her muscles stiffening. Still hungry, she thought faintly, then let her wild instincts free. It seemed as if her last shred of humanity just went. Oh, she knew not to hunt the strange flat-faces in front of her, but she was starving and no-beast would keep her from her food.

She settled down on her haunches and pushed off, coming like a bullet out of the shadows. She raced past the startled flat-faces and back to the place the pancakes had come from, chest heaving from exhertion. 

{~ I think I need someone to trip her or something. I can't seem to write her as just stumbling o-o ~}

Dravius jumped slightly as the wolf dashed in, and took the pile of pancakes that he had been about to take. He had cought a clear glimpse of the wolf, and his raised an eyebrow at the strangely human eyes.  "That's not a normal wolf." He muttered, his eyebrows descending. He grabbed another tall stack of pancakes, a pat of butter, and a jar of syrup, and poked his head bck inside the van, his bright eyes sweeping the shadows until he saw a flash of white fur, and he placed his barefeet carefully on the wooden floor, checking for splinters, holding the pancakes in one hand, and a yellow apple in his other hand.

Biting into the apple, Dravius moved a bit closer to the huddled wolf, crouching back onto his haunches. "Hey, 's'okay. We have more than enough pancakes." Dravius said soothingly, sliding the plate of pancakes closer to the animal, still eating the apple. "I get the feeling you needed them more than I did, anyways." He said this looking at the jutting hips and ribs on the large animal.

"You're in the Circus Majikus. Bit of a freak show." Dravius said, finishing his apple and holding the core by the stem in his left hand. "Are you a bit of a freak?" He asked, tilting his head, so that his good eye was covered, leaving only his clouded blind one staring at the wolf.

((Pfft. I can just imagine Spider facefirst in a feild, rubbing his head against the ground.))

((Edit:: Daww, late post. Still kind of works.))