A wave of whispers was rippling through the city. It began when a messenger came cantering through the the streets, nearly running over half a dozen people. What was so urgent? Why did he go straight to the king? Then a new flock of murmurs took flight from the city gates. A caravan of prisoners.

Prisoners?

Yes, important prisoners. Long before the caravan reached the castle, the whole of the city knew exactly how many prisoners there were and how many men were guarding them.

But who are the prisoners?

Pirates.

Pirates they say.

Pirates captured from the North East coast.

I've never seen a pirate up close. Do you think they'll burn the captain like they did with the last one?

So urgent, so self assured were the whispers that Blaze made Drew stop training just in case- just in case. They waited upon the battlements above the gate, Blaze never taking his eyes off the road below them.

"Blaze, it'll be a while before they get here. Remember how long it took us to just get here on foot?"

"I know, but they arrived this morning, they should be here any mi- there!" He pointed wildly leaning over the battlements so far that Drew grabbed him by the arm. He fell gravely silent as the caravan made its slow way up the street and through the gate, hands shaking and barely breathing. "Please don't let be anyone I know. Please don't let it be anyone I know." The armored wagons creaked to a halt, guards jumping down and clearing a path to the inside of the castle, where the prisoners would be led to the dungeons. The door on the first wagon was unlocked, the metal bolts slid aside. Guards circled around the entrance, weapons drawn.

The door opened, and out stepped a red haired man, bound hand and foot and beaten bloody.

A strangled cry burst from Blaze, sounding more wolf than man. "No! No!" He dropped to his knees, knuckles white as he gripped the ledge.

"Blaze? Blaze who is it?" But then the an turned, as if sensing Blaze's distress, and Drew didn't need anyone to tell him who it was.

It was like looking at a slightly older, leaner version of Blaze, with a rakish smile that not even a beating could kill. Other pirates began to file out of the other wagons, all similarly bound. A blue Huminile, a large draconic creature, snapped at the crowd of guards, roaring with laughter as they skittered back. A spear to the side banished his mirth though, and the grim air returned.

"Which one of your brothers is that?" Drew shook him by the shoulder. "Blaze, come on!"

"It's- it's Ignius. That's why he never responded to my letters. He must have been captured weeks ago."

"Get up."

"Wh-"

"We can get into the dungeons to talk to him, but you have to get a grip!"

Blaze surged to his feet, eyes glowing gold. "You know what they did- what they did to my father when they caught him?"

"Yes, you t-"

"He was nothing compared to Ignius. Nothing. And you can't burn a Hellhound." He fisted his hair, a deep whine rising from his chest. "Oh gods, what are they going to do to him?"

"Nothing if we do something!" Drew's snarl seemed to snap Blaze into place. "I'm sure Ignius will be touched to know that you sat here and wailed while he was executed instead of actually trying to help him! Move!" Blaze started towards him, bringing his fists up with a growl. Faint cracks and pops warned of the Shift that threatened to wash over him.

Drew punched him. The blow sent Blaze staggering back into the wall, where he slumped to the ground, eyes unfocused.

"I'll be waiting at the base of the stairs." He turned sharply and left Blaze to collect himself, hoping he wouldn't have to knock some sense into him more than once that day.

An emergency summoning to the court never meant anything good. It was the fist time in over three weeks Amber had left her room, and even now she and Master Ordvaer objected to it. Has he finally decided to punish me? Is he going to marry me off? She couldn't keep her hands from trembling, and breathing was all she could focus on. The calming potion she'd drank before leaving still hadn't taken full effect. Whiskey would've been a better choice.

The guards at the courtroom doors didn't even spare Amber a second glance as they pulled the doors open. Neither did anyone inside. They were all aflutter with whispers and gasps, turning to the next person and the next to spread the gossip further. Duncan gave her a brief nod when she took her seat, but other than that, she might as well have been invisible.

She had nearly had enough of the waiting when the doors opened once more. In paraded a long line of men and women in flamboyant clothing, old wounds, and iron chains. Pirates. No, not again. I can't watch a person burn alive again!

A red haired man Amber assumed was the captain sauntered to the front. He didn't seem the slightest bit phased by the manacles and murderous glares aimed in his direction. He brushed off the two guards escorting him and turned to face King Haedrik.

"Well, your majesty," he bowed low, almost touching the ground, pretending to lose balance before he straightened up. "I must say this is such an honor. I've always wanted to know what the worlds greatest bastard-breeding, whore's son looked like." Amber flinched as a club struck him in the back of the head. The guards then shoved him to his knees. The captain hung his head for a moment before saying in a singsong voice, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." He rolled his head back, a sick grin washing over his face. "But I guess the same can't be said for you!"

A guard made to slap him in the face, but the captain turned his head at just the right time and bit down upon the hand. Amber closer her eyes against the screaming; the screaming of the guard, the screaming of the courtiers. Just breathe. Just breathe. It will be over soon. You can go back your room soon. The sounds of fists and clubs hitting flesh filled the room, chains rattling as their wearers struggled against them. Only once the maelstrom calmed did she open her eyes to take in the blood.

The captain was face down in the floor now, a foot planted in the middle of his back and a sword at his throat.

King Haedrik rose fro his throne. "Ignius Green,"

"Capta-" he was cut off a kick to the face.

"Ignius Green, I sentence you and your crew to death for piracy, murder, pillaging, thievery, and a host of other crimes against the crown. What have you to say?"

"Can you add my dashing good looks to that list? After all, my jawline is practically criminal."

"How can you be so flippant in the face of death?" Duncan was watching Ignius with a peculiar look. Because mocking death is better than fearing it.

"I'm just laughing at how much your poor brain is going to struggle to try and come up with some new despicable way to kill me. You can't burn me like you did my father." At last, something other than mockery filled his voice. But Amber had preferred his earlier attitude to the seething, raging beast now before them. I forgot it was his father we burned.

"Oh, I don't think you deserve any special effort. In three days time, you'll hang at sunrise. Take them to the dungeons!" As the guards pulled Ignius to his feet, he lunged, fire flaring in his eyes and along his arms. But the chains stopped short several feet from the dais, and all he could do was scream with years of pent of rage and grief and hatred.

"WHEN YOU DIE, I'LL BE THERE TO WATCH AS LETHORGLIK EATS YOUR SOUL!" The guards grabbed hold of the chains and began to drag him out. "IT WON'T BE LONG HAEDRIK! YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT. I SWEAR UPON MY FATHER'S GRAVE YOU WILL!" A trail of claw marks and singes marked his path, and his screaming and curses still echoed through the halls long after the doors were shut behind him.

The court was still awash in murmurs as Amber strode towards the door, ignoring the calling of her name a pushing the doors open herself. She stopped short outside the doors.

A crowd of people, servants, commoners, soldiers, and guards, stood gathered. Every range of emotion showed upon their faces, until they caught sight of her. Then everyone grew quiet, grave; looking down at their feet. All except two people.

Drew and Blaze. Blaze, who Amber almost thought was Ignius Green for a moment, their resemblance was so strong. It was in the hair, nose, and jaw. The yellowed eyes strengthened it even more, along with the abject rage they held. Wait... Blaze... Blaze......Green. Supposedly a mercenary, but the difference between mercenary and pirate was small. Now he's lost a father and a brother.

Amber turned away sharply, unable to face the accusing look any longer. The crowd parted before her in silence, the only sound in the halls her own footsteps and far off, faint screaming.

Drew had to keep Blaze from tumbling down the staircase to the dungeon no less than five times as they walked; or in Blaze's case ran. Nothing he said would make the Hellhound slow down or think or listen to common sense for even a second. He was all blind terror and hatred.

"Hold on, we don't know how many guards are still down there!" Drew caught him by the shoulder. "Blaze! We shouldn't be here at all. Amber put the pieces together; you could see that on her face. If we're caught talking to Ignius it's over; the mission, our lives. Over."

Blaze wheeled around. "Don't you get it? This is more important to me than any mission! When Fa died, my family almost fell apart; my mumna nearly lost it. It's only been two years! If we lose Ignius as well, that will be the last straw for her. And if she goes, there is nothing in this whole world that will keep a leash on Cole. You think what he does know is bad? That's nothing compared to what he would do if mumna wasn't keeping tabs on him. This, saving Ignius," he pointed down the stairs, hand shaking, "Takes precedence over everything else." He clenched his fist, breathing hard, eyes begging Drew to understand.

"Alright then. But it won't help anyone if your rashness gets us into trouble. Just take it slow and act like nothing's wrong."

Nodding, Blaze started down the stairs once more, a strange calm settling over him. What are we going to do?

I don't know. But we have to keep Blaze from losing it.

Yeah, I don't really fancy being burned alive.

Or having to snap Blaze's neck.

That too.

The dungeons looked and smelled exactly like all the stories described them; dark, dank, hopeless. They could hear guards somewhere, but the acoustics played tricks on your ears and you never quite knew where someone really was.

"This way, I can smell him." Blaze waved Drew towards a passage on the left. Drew followed, but stopped short at the entrance. The passage was narrow, lit only by a few sputtering torches that cast dark shadows and ruddy light that danced over the iron bound doors. There were people behind the doors; moving about, muttering to themselves, scraping at the doors, screaming, begging, crying. Constantly screaming, begging, crying....

"Why do I have to go down here?" Drew was crying, struggling against the hand gripping his arm that pulled him along the passage. "I'm not new stock! Why can't I just stay with you? Koper?" Koper said nothing, the only that of the people behind the endless doors. Oh, how they screamed to be let out. How they begged. But Drew ignored them. One of the first things he had been taught was to not open doors. They turned the corner, and that door came in sight.

"Koper, please! Don't make me go in there. Please don't lock me in there!" The hand grew tighter, bruising him. "KOPER PLEASE!" He didn't like the small spaces, Koper knew that. Koper had been the one who'd moved him to a larger room. Why would he change it now? Why? Drew's screaming joined the constant chorus, and just like the others he was ignored. The door was opened, he was thrown inside, and then it shut; Koper still silent. "Koper please! Let me out! LET ME OUT!" He could've screamed until his voice went raw, but the others behind the door didn't like the noise. They didn't like him either, and soon made it known.

"Drew? What are you doing?" Blaze was halfway down the hall.

"I'm- I'm coming." He stepped forward, wanting to turn and run away, and put his mask in place, wanting to just once break down. Please let the next hall be wider. Please let the next hall be wider. He brushed past Blaze, breathing unsteady. Please, please, please.

It wasn't.

The only improvement was that instead of doors and closed off rooms, there were cells made of iron bars, giving the hall the illusion of more space. And contained inside the furthest cells were Ignius and his crew.

"Ignius!"

"Blaze? I thought I saw you!" What would've been a joyful reunion was stunted by the bars that separated them. "What are you doing in the capital?"

"Working." Blaze examined the cell door and the lock, peering at it with the eye of an expert.

"Working or working?" That same rakish grin was back upon Ignius's face. It stood out in chilling contrast against the blood and bruises.

"Think about who you're talking to."

"Ooh, I want details."

"Not now, we're getting you out first."

"Hang on, Blaze." The brothers both looked over at Drew, Ignius with curiosity, and Blaze with something akin to near murderous rage. "We can't let him out this minute, we need to think this through."

"Who's this?"

Blaze turned back to the lock. "I work with him," he muttered.

Drew rolled his eyes. "Oh, so I've been demoted?"

"He's right, Baby Bee, you need to make a plan." Blaze stepped away from the cell, glaring at Ignius.

"What did you just call me?"

"Baby B-"

"Don't say it again."

Ignius held up his hands. "Alright, alright. Calm down."

"You're the one who's going to be hung in three days! I should be telling you to calm down."

"It isn't like this is our first time on death row." Drew examined the woman who had spoken. She was slight of build, with greenish hair and golden fish like eyes. Sea serpent.

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "There was an incident in Fyrok. Someone," she sent a scathing glare at a red winged Aevinon, "Thought it was a good idea to sleep with governor's daughter."

"She was more than obligin'. Not mah fault we got caught."

"And then there was the time in the Caloratus Isles as well." A Xantimae was lying on the cot, his feet up against the wall. "Luckily the Color Family likes us."

"The what family?"

They waved away Drew's question. "Just pirate politics."

Blaze was beginning to develop a twitch on the left side of his face. It seemed he was the only one who was determined to take the situation seriously.

"We can just start early." He had fully turned his back on Ignius and his crew.

"What?"

"Three days is enough time fore everyone to get in place, isn't it?"

"I mean, theoretically, but-"

"Why not?"

Drew grabbed Blaze and pulled him close. "Because that's a week earlier than we planned," he hissed. "And this is one of the worst possible places we could be talking about this."

Blaze pushed Drew down the hall, ignored his brother's confused look. Once they were around the corner, he forced Drew to face him.

"Damn it Drew, this is my brother. A week isn't too early." Now or never. I can't wait to hear it from Angus.

"On one condition."

"What? What is it?"

"What is it you know about me that you're not saying?"

"What do you mean?"

Drew snapped. He slammed Blaze against the wall, pinning him there with much more than just his hands. The flare of fear was just more fuel on the fire.

"Don't pretend you don't know! You freaked out when I said I could talk to my wolf, you gave me weird looks when I Shifted. Angus out the pieces together already and said you had too, only, you didn't tell me what the pieces meant."

Blaze dropped his eyes to the ground, turning his head away. "I- I-"

Drew gave him a shake. "Tell me." He had Blaze a few inches off the ground now, and seconds more he would use violence to get his answers. Well, more violence than he was currently using.

"You're a Dire Wolf."

"A what?" Blaze flinched. "You told me I was a Great Gray."

"Y-you are. But you're also a Dire Wolf."

Drew let Blaze drop to the ground. "And what is that?" Do you know what a Dire Wolf is?

No. Judging by Blaze's behavior, I probably should.

"Dire Wolves are like- the Alpha's of Alpha's. They're more powerful than regular werewolves. Stronger, faster, more dominant." Why does he sound so miserable?

"And you didn't tell me this... why?"

At last his gaze met Drew's, but the anger was unexpected- and painful. "Because as a Dire Wolf you have the power to make any werewolf bend to your will. And not just werewolves; almost any creature. If you learn how to properly use your power, you'll be damn near unstoppable. What you did to Prince Duncan? You'll be able to do that to anyone with no negative effects on yourself."

Drew dropped to the ground, leaning against the wall, arms resting on his knees. "Lethorglik's crows...."

"Now do you understand why I didn't tell you?"

"I- yeah. I do." A Dire Wolf... How have I never even heard of that? Had Koper known? He'd been quite knowledgeable of werewolves, not that he'd ever shared that knowledge, but perhaps this was the reason why. Bend any werewolf to my will... How would I even learn how to do that? The little magic he could work was exhausting as it was. The idea of being able to do it without tiring himself at all...

"We'd better go." Drew rose to his feet, staring through the wall.

"Go?"

"We're starting a week early, remember? You tell Ignius, I'll start contacting everyone else." He could feel Blaze's eyes on him, boring holes through the back of his head. A Dire Wolf. He didn't bother looking for guards, and only went unnoticed by sheer luck. A Dire Wolf. There were so many things he had to do. Contact the gladiators and Lord Calmar, finalize his plans, figure out how exactly they were going to free Ignius and his crew. But he though of none of this. Only three words chases themselves round and round his mind.

A Dire Wolf.

A Dire Wolf.

A Dire Wolf. 

Bup-bu-ba!!! Plot twist! *cackles*

Thoughts on Ignius? I can't decide if I love him or hate him. If you do love him, you're welcome, he'll be making some more appearances.