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With a leap Idrias was in the air, it just took a few beats of her wings to get clear of the overhang that protected the ledge she had been stand in a moment before, a few more and she was above the overhang. Without truly thinking about it she flew over the ruins toward the Waith’s city, wondering yet again why there was no sign that they came to the ruins. Surely they could find use in the items just as we would? The height made it imposable to see more than the vague outings and movements. Not enough to even make wild guesses of how they lived. However once she dared go lower when passing a lone house that looked empty. She didn’t land but was able to see that they used stone and wood in the construction just seemed to prefer curves over straight lines. That place had been a farm and there were mettle tools in the fields. They looked nothing like the tractors she saw in her father’s land, but likely did the same tasks, just made to fit the ones that used them. Nothing monsters, there were cows and pigs in pins, crops in the fields. Suggesting they had the same needs as far as food went. Of course she did not know who lived there. It could be they were human and not Waith, for all that was against the known history. Still they used mettle and stone, things that could be harvested from the ruins. Yet they left them. Maybe there was enough from the cities further in. Perhaps they were scared as it was close to the area that had been poisoned. Yet in other places there were signs of those others being explored. So many questions with no answers. She moved on further until there was nothing but an empty plain below her.  She circled a bit to check for hunters, then roared loudly, smiling as it echoed. Wondering if any heard it and thought it was an odd thunder clap. She was still shocked at how deep it was and how it carried. Fights between dragons had to be deafening, if they truly yelled. She lowered until she could more easily make out what was running on the plain. Checking to see if she had scared up anything nasty, no matter this was on the other side of the zone, she still took out the predators she knew attacked humans. On the grounds that they were just as likely to go after the Waiths and even if they were in fact unfriendly they might be more inclined to be charitable if good deeds had been done. Besides it was good exercise.

There was nothing this time so she just turned and started for the mountain, knowing she would have to head back soon, but wanting to visit the temple hidden there first. It still amazed her how natural flying felt. She had been scared the first time she had tried, just knowing she was going to crash and hurt herself. Yet to her surprise she hadn’t. It was worth all the yelling it had caused, for that had just been in the forest when Luke was watching her and had been noticed. The next time they had went a bit further and she had stayed low. He had insisted that she needed to use the wings, no matter how father felt. I do wonder what he would say about where I am now. I never did tell him where I went, just that I had found a place where I wouldn’t be noticed. Somehow I do think my visiting the old gate sites would be to much even for him, but here I don’t have to worry about being seen. Here I can just be. Yes the library is safe, and will always be a place to relax, but I am glad I was able to visit the forest alone before that growth spurt hit when I entered my teens. There is not enough room for me in this from, and I was hurting until I changed. Those growth jumps are brutal and of course no one believes me.  I am so glad that I had found the pattern for the first door, even if it wasn’t this one. It was still safer than the forest.

She smiled as she reached the mountain and rounded it to the temple. It was a strange place. She could not see how and that didn’t fly would reach it, but it was far too small to permit her to enter in this from.  Just who had made it? She did not recognize any of the symbols on it, nor had the knowledge well in it woken for her, yet. That didn’t stop her from coming by when she had time, even though she know knew that wasn’t the way they worked. That if there was something for her to learn she would know it and the nearest well would take her to the one that wanted her. There was just something about this place that drew her. This time she did not land just hover a minuet than uttered an old blessing for peace, that she always said when here. Not that she was sure, but it felt right. With another fast turn she was off and climbing as she raced back to the gate. She did need to a scout around the look out. It was unlike anything was there, but best to be safe, and she did want to kill something. The tiger in her needed the fresh meat as bad as she needed to burn off some anger. Even if there wasn’t something to put up a fight, she could still hunt there. The rangers wouldn’t mind a bit, or they never seemed to. The ones she had encounter would just wave, so knew the tiger was a shifter if not who.

She reached the gate and shifted back to the tiger then trued and opened the doorway to the Look Out. This one took a bit longer as it checked to see she had a right to travel there. If there was a check to come to this side she didn’t notice it, but there was a bit of a pause on going back.  A bit odd for to open the gates at all you had to have the key, the pattern, and so a check made no sense, but that was what it felt like. The gate formed and she went through it to the forest. The change in the air made her fur stand as always, if in human form her skin pricked.. It was dry and dusty here always. No matter if it was raining, it still felt dusty. This area felt wrong, she was not wanted here. That was why so few used this gate, there was one nearer to the station, that didn’t have the same feel. This was the only place known to have two within five miles of each othere. No one knew why, or what caused the area here to feel off. Idrias theory was that it was this gate was made by a different person and was at one time tied into a different, older network. However there was nothing to prove that. Once you were a few feet from the gate the feeling of being unwelcomed left, though the air stayed dusty.

 She shook a bit to settle her fur hen moved out to start her patrol. The rangers keep a watch and were good at clearing out the predators, but they could not be everywhere and things got missed. This area being so near the zone there were beasts that were changed by the toxins, some that had been made in the labs on both sides, and mixes of both. Most were harmless, a few were not. Most would be scared off just by her having been in the area, being that she was the bigger threat. A few though would fight for tertiary, and those were the ones she was checking for. She tried to get to them before the rangers did as not all of them could be killed with normal bullets. It was far less risky for her to take them than for the rangers to. So she went further than the rangers did, making sure nothing moved in on them.

That let her check on the villages and make sure they were not being disturbed. A few of the races that had devolved here were intelligent. The ranges recognized it and did what they could to see they were left in peace. However some people thought it fun to hassle them, refusing to see them as equals. The towns were will hidden, so that helped as did the space but it would help more if His Majesty would say that they had the right to the land here. Set it as occupied by non-human races and not to be developed. Like his father made in the south we are not short on space after all, and the others do have a right to the lands. Yes we need to see what the ruins can tell us, see if there are any answers there, but with respect to the ones that live here. I think he will be able to see that, he seems like he would.

She got close to the first village and stilled, scenting that there was a human close by, but then relaxed as she saw a glint of the green that marked the rangers.  Shaking her head a bit she moved, least they take her for a ferwic, and get alarmed. In the shadow her fur would look about the right color and they were about her size, but nasty and very hard to move. Not something you wanted as a neighbor.

The ranger shook his head and relaxed his hold on his rifle a bit. “Just you, good sir, I hope you took no offence, but there has been a garggean in the area.”

Idrias roared. They had best leave it to her, that was just what she needed, and they did not need to get hurt. She looked at him for a bit and then took a risk and changed her vocal cords a bit. “Miine! Wherrrre?” Her voice was low and more of a growl sounding nothing like her so should be fine. For all it was the first she had spoken to them. Mostly she had nodded, if anything.

Harvy took a step back, for while he knew the tiger wasn’t a threat he was remind just how deadly it could be. He reached for the radio and clicked it on.  “This is Harvy, all is good it was our friend out for a run.” He was a bit shaky, and Idrias had to fight not to smile, but did move back a bit. “They want the garggean and would like the location of the most recent sighting.”

There was a crackle and another said. “I am at the twisted spire and am seeing signs of it passing, they were not here yesterday. I would guess three hours at most. However.”

Idrias growled. “Funnn.” And took off, knowing where they were. They didn’t need to get hurt when she could take the beast out easily. Well alright, it would fight, but that was what she needed.

“Did that just say fun? Just when did he start talking? It is the tiger right? I mean. Sir you don’t need to take it on, it is a full adult, we can help at least.”

Harvy said, clearly shaken. “He is already moving and I don’t think he wants help giving the way he looked. I do think that he really wants us to leave this to him. Trust me it is far better not to be spoken to. I don’t know just what it was, but it was not a human voice, Might just be a fully animal shifter after all. I truly prefer the nodding. I do think that this um, tiger, could take out a nest of horlkins right now. Something has it angered, and the claws were glowing as it left.”

Idrias smiled a bit, that had been fun, for all the glow was an accident. It had to be related to her dragon from, but this was the first time she had noticed it. Still the scales under her fur would help in the fight, they were proof against the magic that surrounded the garggan and would made it harder for its claws to get a grip. The animal did irate a bit, nonhuman would have been better as animal tended to imply a lack of intelligence, still it was reassuring. She didn’t want to think what would happen if they knew who she was. For she clearly was not just a tiger shifter, even before this, they had not seen wings but they had the scales when she had to help rescue a gaud from a swarm of snake beasts. Even with them that had been a close one. If it was more of them then she would have gladly accepted the rangers help. Thankfully they were not seen often, theory was they needed cold. It had been winter anytime they had been seen.

She slowed as she neared the area, and started moving with more care. No need to announce herself, not before she knew what she was getting into. Just because they thought it was single didn’t mean it was. There were three spots that were likely to be used as nest near the rock. She looked and the racks and nodded, for that was the direction she had expected. It wasn’t long until she passed the ranger, who didn’t even notice it as they were studding the trail. Likely as there were clear signs of multiple garggans. This was going to be fun. It did look like they were nesting in the caves. That would make it hard on the rangers, but was just perfect for her.  She slowed to a walk as she neared and waited to be seen. Let them make the first move, there was no need to rush this. None at all. It did not take long until she was seen, she roared as the first one attacked.

She finished the last one and looked over at the rangers there. The blond one shook her head a bit. “We could have helped, there was no need for you to rush in without back up. We will see to the clean up, so that we can at least feel somewhat useful.”

Idrias rolled her eyes a bit but nodded, knowing that they knew what to bury and what could be used to keep other predators away. However the caves needed seen to but no there were already rangers moving to them. No need for her to get in their way. It will just be young ones so they should be fine, and there was the sweep to finish, not that there was likely to be another predator, but there was still that rabbit to find. With that thought she moved off stopping at a stream to get rid of the blood, and get a drink.

Idrias smiled a bit as she came out of the fortes to see Travis waiting, then noticed her Mother and lady Gwen were there as well and lost the smile. Just what new rumor had she caused? She waited until she was closer then said. “I thought that I might find Travis waiting by the door, but I take it that more saw me leave? I do hope they weren’t alarmed.”

Travis said. “I fear that it has somehow been going around that you were out killing everything around the lookout area to make it safe. That somehow included the ranges. I left as my laughing was making matters worse. I think your Mother is likely here to see that you don’t look threatening. You did a fare job of washing up, but there is a spot of blood on your leg.”

Idrias shook her head, but Gwen said. “Just how can you see her leg? That is no good. To get her to go with you should at least pick a body part you can see, lad. You need to work on that. You will never get her into the woods that way.”

Travis frowned a bit and said. “You didn’t see it? The red by her ankle when she had the skirt raised to get over that stone, it was plain as day how did you not see it? Lady Northmarsh you surely noticed?”

Idrias said. “Just why were you looking at my legs? You know that is not proper. There is no blood on me, you don’t need to be trying to shock my Mother. You know full well that there is red on the stockings. Why ever would they think I would kill the rangers? I can almost understand the wildlife, as silly as it is, but the rangers? Here I thought they had moved past the idea that I was a crazed killer. I am sorry, I just needed some air, but clearly I should have waited to go. I didn’t think it would be that bad. Just that they might think I was in danger.”

Alice was frowning. Just what was going on with that boy? He was clearly far to interested in the girl. I had best clue her in, so she can get some distance. Then to joke about it. Thank goodness the others are not where they can hear. It is bad enough as it is. Just what was she thinking go out? Then she was getting a bit reckless. Clearly it is time we let her see just why she needs to be careful. I hate the thought of it, she is far to young in many ways. Yet it is for the best. It will let Seth see that he is being unfair to her when he refuses to do things she isn’t ready to. One thing at a time. First to get past this, somehow. I still can’t believe it, but there is no way out. “I do think that Iron has that taken care of, and it was his doings that caused it. A few were concerned that you went into the forest alone, but that was easily taken care of. However, I take it that you check with Iron before going out and said you would run a sweep around Look Out. Somehow that got turned into the killing spree, and the laughter caused by the yelling made the yelling louder. With luck it will be settled by the time we are inside. No, I just wanted to let you know that you have been asked to attend his Majesty on the outing. Something do with the stars and a rift? Anyway he said he wanted you and Dr. Burggas with him so he could hear what you had to say. I don’t know what you had planned on, but you are now going to be right in the middle, so make sure you dress for it.” She frowned a bit. “I do hope that you will be careful, it is going to be easy to step on toes. Some of the Lords are traditionally and are not going to like you being there in the first place. If you answer rashly it is not going to help.”