Xander could feel the muscles in his shoulders and chest burning from the strain of flying such a long distance without resting. Tarlac wasn't doing much better. But the urgency of Ghost's message wouldn't let them stop. Both of the rescuers spotted their quarry at the same moment.

A crowd of people stood at the base of a large rocky mound, and what looked to be the opening of a cave. One person blocked the entrance to that cave, even from the height they were at, Xander could see the blood covering her chest, and the two arrows causing it. And off in the distance, a group of men on horses, moving fast.

They dove as one. Tarlac heading for the rampaging crowd, Xander heading for the victim. He was only a few short yards from her when she finally fell. He flared his wings and dropped directly in front of her body, his back to her attackers.

Carlene stared up at the strange creature standing over her. She tried to shift back into her other form, but she was too weak. The creature rested his hand on her face and spoke, his voice the kindest she had heard in years. "Rest now. No one will harm your children. I promise."

"Who are you?" She whispered.

"NightHawk." He said, calmly and quietly.

Even living in the woods, away from villages and people, Carlene had heard of the Champion. She smiled at him, and knowing her children would be safe, died.

Xander heard the muttering from the crowd behind him, but ignored it. Tarlac would make sure they behaved themselves. The sound of horses crept upon his awareness, but he had no time for that either. He ripped off his tunic and gently laid it over the woman's face, while sending a prayer up to his mother for the dead woman. If life, she had been treated poorly. In death, Kal'enel would ensure she was well cared for.

A gruff voice intruded upon the thoughts of violence he was trying so hard to control. "Here, now. What happened here? And who the hell are you?"

Xander turned, a low growl coming from deep in his chest. One of the guardsmen, terrified by what he believed to be another boggle, quickly aimed his crossbow and fired. The heavy bolt struck the creature in the shoulder, but didn't take him down. The Lieutenant glared at the troops behind him, "Who fired? I gave no orders to fire!"

Xander felt lightheaded for a moment, and swayed slightly. The people cowering before Tarlac surged forward, their fear making them bold.

Tarlac moved to NightHawk's side and carefully broke the head off of the bolt with his beak. NightHawk smirked and yanked the shaft from his shoulder. Bright, red blood gushed from the wound, but only for a second. The soldiers and the villagers could plainly see the blood stop and wound close by itself.

Xander stepped forward, trying not to laugh when his attackers fell back a pace. "I am NightHawk, Champion of Kal'enel and Vkandis. Who killed this woman, and why?" The commanding tone in his voice left no room for lies. One brave man stepped forward and spoke, "Begging your forgiveness, Champion, but the woman, she was no woman. She was a boggle. Varl here, he saw her change into a beast and run down a deer. We were afraid for our families, so we hunted her down."

The Lieutenant slid from his horse and clapped the man on the back. "Good man. And a good job, all of you. You should take care of these problems yourself, and not wait on the army."

Xander's voice was deadly, "Good job? Good job?! These morons murdered a woman, in cold blood. A woman who had done nothing wrong! She was trying to protect her family and you bastards hunted her down like an animal and murdered her!"

The Lieutenant scowled at the creature, Champion or no Champion, he wouldn't allow a non-human speak to him that way.

Seeing and recognizing the expression on the human's face, Tarlac sighed, "Thissss could get ugly."

**********

King Tremane stiffened in his throne, Father Janus raced to his side and held the King steady when he started to slide to the floor. "Your Majesty, what is wrong?"

"I don't know." Tremane said, shakily. "I felt a surge of power from the earth, almost like it was moving, but it was different."

"Where was it coming from?"

Tremane focused on his link to the earth and followed it to the source of his unease. "To the south, close by. Very close. Right where we sent out the troops earlier." Tremane bolted from his throne and ran out of the room; Janus and his steward hot on his heels. The King spat out orders while he was removing his crown and formal robes. "Get my horse ready! And bring my sword. I want a squadron ready to go. Now!"

The steward ran out of the room to the stables, passing on the orders to the guard at the door at the same time. When Tremane said, 'Now', he meant "NOW".

**********

Xander and Tarlac held off the villagers and the soldiers with ease. Xander using his spear to blast the arrows out of the sky before they could strike, while Tarlac used his wickedly sharp beak to snap the heads off of spears and the various garden implements the villagers were using against them.

Xander had completely lost all patience, and was on the verge of wrecking mayhem on the humans when 'more' soldiers arrived.

**********

Tremane took in the scene before him and jumped from his saddle before his horse had come to a stop. He ran up to the Lieutenant in charge of the squadron and slapped the man on the back on the head with his sword, knocking him facedown in the dirt. "What in the name of the Ancestors do you think you're doing?" He screamed at the fallen soldier. "That, if I'm not mistaken, and I'm NOT, is the Champion NightHawk. Are you trying to get killed? AND bring down the anger of the Gods upon us?" Tremane yanked the man up off the ground and got in his face. "You will return to Shongar, IMMEDIATELY. There you will turn yourself over to the sergeant at arms to be placed in the brig until I decide what to do with you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME??"

"Yes, Your Majesty. At once, Your Majesty."

The hapless Lieutenant mounted his horse and rode back towards the palace at full speed.

**********

Tremane and Father Janus approached the Champion, NightHawk, carefully. The young man was a daunting sight. His wings half flared, retractable claws sliding in and out of their sheaths and his fangs gleamed in the sunlight. Tremane held out his hand and introduced himself; sounding like he'd invited the Champion over for tea. "I am Tremane. King of Hardorn. Please, forgive my people for their foolishness. Unfortunately, even the best-trained soldier occasionally acts without thinking. How may we aid you, Champion?"

The King's calm words and steady regard helped calm Xander considerably. He shook the King's hand and felt a spark of power jump between them. Both men jumped back. "What the hell was that?" Xander snarled, shaking his stinging hand.

Father Janus had been watching the two men carefully; there was something about the Champion… As soon as the two men touched, he knew what it was. "Oh. This is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful!"

Xander glared at the man, who looked to be a priest of some sort. "I'm so glad you think so." He said, snidely.

Tremane coughed, trying not to laugh. Xander stared at him for a moment, then relaxed. He liked the King for some reason, he just wasn't sure why.

The 'priest' stepped forward, but didn't offer his hand. "I'm Father Janus. It is 'wonderful' to meet you. Wonderful. How marvelous." The elderly man smiled. "You have the strongest link to the Earth that I have ever seen. Tell me. Do you heal rapidly? Very rapidly?"

Xander was totally confused by this point, "Yeah, I do. I got hit by an arrow a little while ago and it was healed in seconds."

Father Janus literally beamed. "Marvelous. We must talk. I have so much to tell you. Yes. So very much. Would you accompany us back to the palace? Please?"

Xander could no have refused that request, than he could have refused Starblade asking him for something. "I have something to take care of first. But after, yes, I'd be happy to speak with you." Xander turned and dropped down to his haunches in front of the cave opening. As soon as he moved, Tremane saw the woman's body on the ground.

"What happened to her?" The King asked his men, quietly.

The sergeant stepped forward, "Your Majesty. The villagers here said the woman turned into a beast and hunted her down." The sergeant pointed at the Champion and said, "The Champion, he tried to save her, but she was already dying by the time he arrived. He said something about her trying to protect her children."

Tremane moved closer to the cave, but the Gryphon accompanying the Champion moved to block him. After looking him over carefully, Tarlac stepped aside, and allowed the King to pass.

Tremane knelt down on the ground next to the Champion and was the first to see the 'children'.

Xander reached into the opening and felt tiny teeth latched onto his arm. Wincing, he managed to grab the 'child' by the scruff of the neck and hauled him out into the light. Tremane reared back, the child looked to be a wolf cub. Then the cub, dangling by the scruff of his neck, blurred for a moment and changed into a little boy. A naked, dirty, obviously terrified little boy.

The Champion pulled the boy, little more than a baby, up to his chest and cuddled him close. He spoke quietly, all the while running a warm hand down the child's back, trying to comfort him. "Ssshhh, it's okay. No one is going to hurt you. I promise. I'll take good care of you. No one will 'ever' hurt you again." The boy made a whining sound and four other 'pups' spilled out the cave and huddled together in the Champion's lap. They too blurred and changed into children. All boys. All cold, tired and hungry.

Xander counted the new additions to his family and smiled. /Ghost. It's Daddy./

/Daddy! Did you find them?/

/Yes, honey. I did. I'm sorry, Ghost. I wasn't in time to save their mother./

/I know, Daddy. But are the babies all right?/

/Yup. Tell Wintermoon to get the spare room ready. Looks like you just got five little brothers./

/Brothers? No Girls? Daddy!!!/

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