The beginning

Sniffing the air a bit, Lake angles through the light brush silently.

"To the north is the river this creek comes from, and eventually flows back into farther south." Continuing his easy walk, Lake seemed confident in catching up with the hiker and staying out of sight.

"To the west, where the human is heading, is a collection of rock outcroppings. There are alot of caves and other formations that could be of interest." Checking a small clearing for sins of the human, he continues across and back into the woods on the other side.

"Back to the east, from where the human came, about a a day's easy run, is the same river and a bridge into a human settlement. Should probably avoid that, as I have delt with some of those people recently." His small chuckle after that statement has some dark elements to it.

"The human should reach the rocks in about an hour."

'That long? Alright.' Reza sniffed the air. The human was close, perhaps only a few hundred yards off. 'Shall we head off the human? Or are we trailing your piece of tail, Puddle Puppy?'

---

In the distance, Lana was rummaging around in her backpack. "Where did I put my compass?" She was still looking for the rock shrine she'd been looking for before. She was hoping to make it there before nightfall and camp there the night. Then, she'd collect her sample and head back tomorrow. For a few moments, she reflected on the man she'd met earlier. Something was off about him. And there had been something else... Thankfully, Lana knew she came off as ... absent-minded to say the best.

"Well, I figure she won't hurry, so it should take her a bit." Lake continued to move through the woods. "As for trailing her tail, I think we should get there first and see her reaction when she gets there." He picks up the pace slightly, angling to go around the human.

---

Back at the creek, another human came down the trail, backpack over his shoulders. Whistling, he hops over the creek and continues hiking, enjoying the peaceful wilderness.

'If you say so.' Reza, in her mind, tries to decide whether or not she should shift, to present a unified front. She knew full well that she wasn't wearing what humans generally considered appropriate, though she couldn't easily identify what would be. 'Let's get a move on, Puddle Puppy. I think I know what it is she's looking for. I would like to get to it first.'

---

As the newcomer enters the clearing, Lana is still trying to find her compass. She doesn't look up. "Hey. Do you have my compass on you?"

Lake pauses a moment to scratch behind his ear. "Since you think you know what she is looking for, then I have no objection to getting there early. I like surprises." Getting back to his paws, he proceeds through the woods.

---

The hiker looks startled at seeing someone else out in the woods. "I'm sorry. I don't think I have anything of yours." Looking around, he continues, his voice puzzled. "Are you hiking with friends?"

Reza chuckles darkly. 'This may not be a surprise you like so much.' She picks up the pace, passing him and following her senses toward the not so distant shrine. She'd been unable to feel it until they'd gotten this close. It would only be minutes now.

---

Lana's head jerks up. "Oh!" She blushes. "N-no... Someone might have been coming, but he's not coming, I guess. I thought you were him and you're not, so I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to startle you." Lana takes a breath. "I'm Lana. Who're you?"

The hiker smiles politely. "My name is Henry. I was out enjoying the wilderness for the weekend," He gestures to his backpack, which appears to have a small tent and sleeping bag attached to it, "and I was surprised to see someone else out here." He raises an eyebrow, "Are you looking for something specific around here?"

---

Lake follows Reza easily, matching her pace. His eyebrow seemed permanently raised is amusment or curriosity.

Reza skids to a halt just outside a clearing. 'This is it, I think. Do you feel it?'

---

"We-ell," smiles Lana vacantly, "I'm looking for a rock shrine nearby..."

Lake looks out at the clearing. Sniffing the air, he closes his eyes. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary. It does feel...Wrong, I guess is the best description. Strange, even." His muzzle moves around, as if tracking a scent. "I don't recognize this feeling at all, and I've had some of experience with spiritual things. Strange..."

---

Henry shrugs. "Sorry, I've never been out here before. Was thinking of finding a nice camp spot and do some reading, writing and drawing. If you don't mind, I can help you look for this shrine, though." He chuckes. "Its not like I'm on a schedule for loafing."

Reza steps out into the clearing, shifting into human shape as she walks.

In the center of the clearing stands a mound of perfectly smooth, oddly shaped rocks. The mound itself is less than three feet high and seems to vibrate the sixth sense. Nothing grows within twenty feet of the mound, so the afternoon sun shines down on the rocks, seeming to increase their power.

'Yes.' Reza thinks to Lake confidently. In truth, she's confused. Reza had been following the rumors of this shrine for several days, mostly overheard from various humans who thought they understood magick. Now, here it is, and she is unsure what to do with it. It was said to harbor power, but she wasn't sure what kind.

---

Lana cocks her head to one side. "Um. Sure, if you have a compass. I need to be heading east, I think." Henry looked like a solid enough man, but she wondered if he was trustworthy. She needed to reach the shrine, and take the sample (and the shrine's power with it), before anyone else got to it. Otherwise, she would have to wait another ten years for the power in potentia to revive itself.

Lake watched Reza shift, admiring the easy way she did it on the move. Following suit, he walks to the edge of the barren ground. "This place isn't healthy." Looking around, he scratches the side of his nose in irritation. "What are you looking for here? My first thought is this place needs to be cleaned, not venerated."

---

Henry pulls out a simple compass and looks at it. pointing into the woods, "East is that way. Shall we go?" He hands her the compas and gestures for her to proceed him.

'Honestly, it's a matter of viewpoint.' Reza chuckles. 'This place gives things... As long as it's intact.' Reza approaches the shrine carefully, feeling it. It did not feel the way she had expected and she wasn't really sure whether or not this was a good thing or not. Generally, pulling "tricks", as Lake had put it, from these shrines was simple. They'd all felt a bit purer. If too many humans had been paying tribute here, however...

---

Lana takes the compass. "Yeah," she said, slowly, "if you're interested..." Lana headed in the direction of east, moving at a rather fast walk.

Lake watches as Reza aproaches the shrine. Shifting from one foot to another, he reaches behind his back and pats his pants, as if verifying their existance. Where his good humor and easy smile used to be, a sense of unease is radiating off him in waves. In the light of the early afternoon he actually appears to have grown in size.

"Are you sure you want to approach that?" His voice seems deeper as he starts to slowly pace around the cleared area.

---

Henry follows Lana easily, and seems to be enjoying the beauty of the forest around them. Eventually he looks forward and notices a lightening of the trees ahead. "I think we are approaching a good sized clearing.

Reza grins. 'In fact, I want to touch it.' She approaches the shrine and looks up at Lake. One eyebrow raises in query.

---

Lana stops short of the clearing. "Well, uh, Henry..." Lana tries not to look nervous. Brushing people off has never been her strong point. "Thank you for getting me this far. I'm sure I can handle it from here, you have other things you would want to be doing, I don't want to keep you..."

Lake watches Reza apprach the shrine, resigned to her action. "It is your choice, Reza. I odn't condone it, but I can't make you do anything." A small chuckle escapes his lips. "Of course, I can always give free advicem which is worth what it costs."
Suddenly his head snaps up and he turns towars the edge of the woods. Sniffing the air he whispers out the side of his mouth. "We are not alone!"

---

Henry laughs. "Nonsense! I have nothing that I have to do. Lets see whats here." And with that he steps past Lana and into the clearing.

Lana shakes her head and follows him. To her surprise, she recognizes Lake. "Hey, Lake! You said you didn't know where this was..." She cocks her head to one side, staring past Lake at the unknown woman in far too little clothing. Her expression clouds as she sees the woman's proximity to the shrine.

---

Reza automatically puts herself between the woman, the newcomer, and the shrine.

Henry looks surprised to see the two strangers in the clearing. Glanicing from one to the other, with an appreciative second glance at the female, he turns to Lana. "Looks like some friends of your's beat you here."

---

Lake steps forward, coming to stand near Reza, while maintaining some distance from the shrine. "I didn't know of this place. I just ran into a friend" and he gestures toward Reza, "and we came across this place." Looking at the gentleman next to her, he continues. "Is this gentleman a friend of yours?"

Lana shakes her head. "Mm, no. Similar situation..." Her eyes are riveted to the shrine. "Miss, if you could just step away from there..."

---

Reza frowns. "No," she replies, speaking for the first time.

Henry looks confused at the situation. Turning partly to Lana he asks, "Is there something special about that rock?" He gestures towards the shrine behind Reza.


---


Lake looks at the situation building between the two women, and at the confused male. Taking a deep breath, he steps forward to get between the two women...
And slips on a wet stone!
Falling backwards, he flings his arms out for purchase. While his left hand hits the dirt, his right hits the shrine. A muffled grunt is heard from him, and he is thrown sideways a few feet, where he lays on the ground, barely moving.

Lana steps forward as Lake moves, sees the fall, as if in slow motion. Her heart races as she realizes what is happening. "NO!!" she cries angrily, seeing years of planning spoiled in just seconds.

---

Reza is in motion the moment his hand touches the shrine, as she feels the power of the shrine enter his body. Carefully, watching the people she now thinks of as the enemy, she arrives at Lake's side, between his body and the two people on the side of the clearing. "You wanted this shrine," Reza says, searching Lake's aura with her mind, but finding nothing. "Now, neither of us will have it." She hesitates to directly touch LakeJumper, concerned both with his reaction and with the effect it may have now that the shrine's power has entered him. 'LakeJumper..? Can you hear me?'

Upon seeing the male fly through the air after touching the rock, Henry stands stuned, wondering what he has stumbled on.

---

A groan escapes Lake's mouth. Stiring slightly he turns his head. One eye slowly opens and he focuses on Reza. "You might have warned me you were looking for a lightning bolt stuck in a rock." The joke comes out weakly, barely above a whisper.

Struggling to get up, his arms and legs appear shakey. To a careful observer, some sparks appear to be arcing occassionally between his various fingers and toes. Finally settling with kneeling, Lake turns to look at Lana. "Were you looking for this...thing as well?" His voice is still quiet and rough, as his eyes focus on her face.

Lana shakes her head, frowning. "Are you alright?" She looks at Henry. "You may want to stay back, Henry."

---

Reza chuckles. 'I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.' Carefully, Reza reaches out to help Lake up. 'The whole electricity thing going on around your body is...slightly disturbing, LakeJumper.'

Henry shakes his head in confussion. "What are you people?" he mutters, staring wide-eyed at the scen before him.

---

Lake takes Reza's hand and pulls himself up. A slight tingle passes through their hands at the touch, but no obvious effect seems to occur.
Shaking his hand, Lake looks at the diminishing sparks around his fingers and turns to Reza. I'm not sure what just happened, but I don't recommend the experience. Quite a shock to the system."
Turning to Lana, Lake narrows his eyes. "You wanted something from this site, didn't you?" Looking between the women he stands up straighter. "What is this place?"

Reza chuckles at Henry, shaking off a vague unease. "We are not your concern. I reckon she is." She points to Lana. 'I'll wager my next hunt, she's some sort of modern witch meddling with powers unnatural to her,' she tells Lake silently.

---

Lana frowns deeply, then turns to her companion. "I don't know who you are, Henry, but you're in the thick of it." She raises her hand and forms a complex gesture before his eyes, forcing him into a dreamless sleep. Then she turns back to Lake and that woman... She could feel the quiet, complex power that seemed to shake her resolve from within.

"I've been purifying shrines for years now. Rightfully taking back what your kind has stolen." As she speaks, her chin justs in righteous indignation. "You are the invaders here."

Henry raises his eyebrows at Lana's comments and gestures, but quickly drops to the ground.

---

Lake shakes his head, clucking at Lana's comment. "Invaders? Hardly." Looking at her, Lake starts to unbutton his shirt. "My people have been in these lands for centuries before yours arrived. We've done our best to keep things clean around here, but invaders have pushed us out of our territories with strange magics and nasty diseases." Gesturing and Reza, Lake never takes his eyes of Lana. "Her kind, even though they are late-commers, have more claim to these lands then you could possibly ever have."
As they watch, Lake appears to grow in size slightly, filling out his now open shirt,the muscles of his athletic body standing out more.