To her dismay, Bitz found herself outside the city as a whole; There were no clear hiding places, nor any people - much less anything to eat. She wearily moved up to her feet, splitting them apart into the two 'talons' they usually were as she noticed she had moved them together for quicker speed, and began to walk. Where to she wasn't actually sure, could she go back to the city? Her brother and protector was there, but so was the guy who was chasing her. In her mind, he had likely given up, but he'd still be trudging around in the city and that made it unsafe. She needed to hide, then Bier could find her as he always did, and she'd be safe. So she searched, looking for a place to hide, until she found a gathering of trees and bushes. There she lay, hoping to be hidden by the shrubbery, and curled up.


As the Miffs leapt at him, Bier leapt back and turned in mid-air, dashing off as soon as his feet touched the ground. "Can't catch me!" he chimed, looking back at the two and even waving as he went.

Preside caught up to Torment fairly easily. It wasn't like he was moving that quick. Another mumbled complaint accompanied him approaching the zetraloid.

"Torment. Don't suppose you could, oh I don't know, run."

Torment glanced over at him, but said nothing as he trudged on at the same pace.

"That wasn't a suggestion!" Preside insisted, "Which way'd they go?"

"They." He paused and walked a few steps before adding, "Are singular. Miffs said they were after the other."

Preside sighed, "You can't even catch one?"

Torment held his hands up, palms out, "Too fast."

"More like you're half blind." Preside muttered.

Leech had caught up to them, being the not always bright creature he was, he had changed allegiance again. Or at least he thought his other friends would welcome him back. It was strange, because he really did have the ability to think better than that.

"Leech. You're an idiot." Preside commented to the floppy tailed zetraloid with his clawed toes clanking along behind them.





The Miffs landed in a rather badly timed collision pile. Mumbling excessively they were up quickly though.

"Brat." Female Miff grumbled as she set off in the lead. Her brother followed behind, trying to get the fluff to lay flatter around his neck as he went along. "I bet we c--" The rest of what he said was muffled by his fluff flying up in his face again.

"Just shut up and run." His sister hissed back at him.

Alone and on a surprisingly soft bed of leaves, Bitz tried to keep herself awake. She found herself beginning to doze off a few times, but managed to shake herself awake once more and held her head. The aching had grown worse - it was highly unpleasant, but atleast it kept her from sleeping... She looked to her own yellow-and-blue frame. Should she try changing her colors? It'd make her harder to see, but she wasn't keen on the idea of exhausting herself further. In the end, itching for SOMETHING to do, she just pulled her goggles down over her eyes.


Bier just laughed as he ran, sticking his tongue out at the two. He didn't try to lose them, just keep them occupied and on his trail. "You're really slow!" he taunted. "What's wrong?"

Torment led them along what he believed to be the correct path. Leech followed beside him, making occasional odd gurgle noises as he did so.

Preside motioned to Leech silently. Torment didn't catch it at all until Preside gave his head a shove, then he glanced over at the blue creature as well.

"He'll lead us back." Preside smirked. It was true, Leech was meant to find things, he should be able to find the people he had been hanging out with.

"Find your friends." Preside instructed him, "And maybe I'll like you again."

Leech was delighted by such a proposition. Either he'd forgotten how cruel Preside was to him normally or, yeah that was most likely the reason. He set off ahead of them at a complete run, making gurgly, shrill cries for his friend to respond to.



"You're cheating!" The male Miff announced, he had taken the lead now, fluff finally under control. "Slow down and we'll see if you wanna taunt us then!"

His sister growled under her breath. Why was he falling for all these stupid taunts? And even worse, making horrible comebacks?

The shrill cries caught Bitz's attention - Leech had been able to escape too? She moved up and peeked out of her hiding place, and as she saw her friend she left it entiredly, waving back to him happily and being entiredly unaware of the trap as she raised her goggles again.


"Cheating?!" Bier called and then just burst out laughing, actually forcing him to slow his pace for a few moments. "Really? Being faster is cheating now!?" he shouted, still laughing and snickering all the while. "I'm even holding back!"

Leech was perfectly happy to see her after all. He liked them all, er I should say he liked Preside, his group and Bitz, Bier was still on the no like list. When he sensed where she was at, he let out another happy cry, stopped to wag his tail then leaped towards her in pouncing little hops.

Once Preside had figured out that Leech had found what they were looking for he went around another way, that way he wasn't just walking straight up to her. Torment had been ordered to come only if called and was a ways back the way Leech had come.
------------

Miff growled under his breath now, his mind raced for some kind of comeback but he couldn't think of anything.

"Get him!!" He shouted to his sister as if she could go any faster than he could.

She rolled her eyes at him, "That's what we're doing genius. Just shut up and chase. He has to wear out eventually." So did they, but Hunters were generally designed to be able to run just as long as a Shifter, just not as fast. A bit of their speed was sacrificed for fighting power.

Bitz happily hugged Leech once he got close, visibly happy and relieved that her friend was alright. "You managed to get away too... Thank God..." she murmured. "I was so scared..."

After a few seconds she lightened her hug, regaining herself once more as she looked at Leech's face. "What do we do now?"
___

"I bet you'll wear out faster!" Bier called back to the two, unaware of the inner workings of Hunters. "My kind's able to run really far~! Can't believe he only sent you two to search, you're so slow!"

Leech licked her with his rather large and slippery tongue, tail wagging back and forth. Then he made what he considered to be a 'comforting' gurgling rumble. When she asked what they should do next he tilted his head to one side, mouth twisting to a contorted frown of sorts. His tail's wagging slowed down. Preside was coming up, not exactly behind them since there had only been shrubs behind...I think, but he was coming from the back generally speaking.





"Stop it!!" Miff shouted at Bier. He didn't take taunts well at all. Even ones he knew weren't entirely backed up by truth. "I'll tear your feet to tiny scraps when we catch you! Then see who's running faster mr. superior race!"

If Miff's sister hadn't been concerned they'd loose the shifter all together if she she lashed her brother with her tail she would've but she had a feeling that would only cause a fight, one they didn't have time for. She'd get him later for making fools of them.

Bitz sighed softly. "You don't know either, huh?" she asked sadly. She thought for a few moments, still unaware of the hunter moving up behind her. "Did you see that creep anywhere? He's not around, right?"


"When? Don't you mean if?" Bier chuckled. He turned and easily leapclimbed up a fence, landing on the other side and sticking his tongue out at the two as he stopped. "Try to get me now!"

Leech's tail barely twitched on the ground now, not lifting up entirely anymore. He looked a bit dejected and whimpered softly, giving no indication of the approaching danger. After all...she was talking about Torment and he was...well that way. He glanced over his shoulder to look in that direction.

Preside was pretty much behind them now--right behind them. He was a bit sneakier than the others. And then he tried grabbing Bitz. (I say grabbing ya know in the sense of you're welcome to have him fail)



"We will get you. We will get you and we'll--ow!" Miff's claw got caught in the fence.

His sister ignored him. He could just stay stuck there for all she cared. She could climb a fence easily. She couldn't leap it, but she could climb.

"Keep talking, kid." She growled as she made her way over with much more grace than other brother who had finally recovered.

Bitz felt her heart sink at the response her friend had to the question. "Leech ...?" she asked again, cautiously, before something grabbed her from behind. She froze and let out a single squeak, letting go of Leech entiredly before glancing to Preside. She didn't struggle or yell, paralyzed by the betrayal of her friend, although her face was full of the fear she felt. She looked as though she was about to cry, and quite honestly, that was more or less how she felt.


"Man, not a lot of sibling love..." Bier murmured as he watched the female Miff climb over the fence. Then, once she was by the top, he realized that this meant she could catch up to him. He flinched, then turned and dashed off at full speed.

Leech's tail stopped twitching entirely, head pointed more towards the ground. He had no eyes of course, but had he it would've given the appearance of him looking down.

Preside smirked, "Welcome back, miss, sorry for the scare...sort of." No he wasn't sorry, that was probably evident by the fact he chuckled about it. He went ahead and called Torment over--through transmitter. They weren't that far away so reception still worked between the two.


The Miff leaped down from the fence--their legs were rather well suited to such purposes. Her clawed toes clanked against the ground when she landed, then she set off at a run. They wouldn't be able to keep up with a Shifter going fullspeed, granted but maybe they could keep him in distant sight.

Bitz couldn't find an answer. She found herself hyperventilating, panicking, not knowing what to do; nobody to protect her, just... just these evil people that wanted to do SOMETHING... And her new friend who had suddenly betrayed her. She begun to choke up and sob, trying to pull herself free from her captor's grip and run away, her clawed toes digging at the ground as she struggled.


Bier, stupidly thinking the Miffs were still the only ones out to hunt him and that his sister was perfectly safe, soon slowed his pace a bit to allow the two to catch up. Still, thoughts of Bitz lingered in the back of his head, and he couldn't help but feel worried for having left her alone with another zetraloid.

HAHA look at that I skipped....2 days?! Ahem oh well I still am posting before a month >3>

Preside was merely amused by such a response. Heh, a scared little kid. A little Shapeshifter kid, even better. After all, he was a Shapeshifter Hunter, their general inclination was to make a shifter's life miserable. They took joy in it, pride even sometimes. He refused to let go of course, and was even being quite over forceful about holding her arm in the strong clutch of his hand.

Torment arrived in no hurry as usual, he stared at Preside, and then Bitz as well.

"You take her back." Preside stated as he tried offering her arm to Torment.

Leech simply sat there whimpering softly, whether that was just nervousness, habit or if he actually felt bad was unclear.


Both of the Miffs had generally lost his trail but they hadn't given up their search. After all, Preside wouldn't take kindly to them returning empty handed and the only one who seemed to get away with it was Torment.

It wasn't long before they picked it up again--being Hunters it was what they were made for. Soon the two were set off full speed ahead, yet again. They really didn't like hunting as much as cooking though and would be completely glad to capture Bier so they could go back to normal life.

"N-No!" Bitz cried out, suddenly shifting from trying to get away from Preside to clinging to him as tightly as possible. Torment treating her brother's wounds was still very fresh in her memory, and the thought of being alone with such a man ... it was terrifying, beyond words. She just tried to cling to Preside, whimpering and sniffling, as though he would protect her from the so-called doctor.


Bier had by this time begun to search for his sister, by... asking around of all things. Evidently, he had no concept of laying low. His senses were alert, although this was for sister-seeking purposes rather than any real wariness, so he noticed the two as they begun to get close and quickly dashed off again. "You still won't give up, huh?!"

That had confused Preside to say the least, after all, he saw himself as being just as bad as Torment really. Obviously he didn't know, remember or consider what Torment had already horrified her by doing.

Regardless, Torment himself wasn't fazed by her intense dislike of him in the least, not that it would've been easily told on that ever blank mask of his. He finally lifted one of his sharp, almost claw like hands, stared at it for a moment as if debating if it would suffice and then proceeded to extend it towards her.

Preside didn't much are if Bitz wanted no part of this. He was bigger and stronger and surely Torment would be able to pull her off. Torment clasped his own hand just above Preside's so that they could have a secure exchange.


"That's the concept." The male Miff who was running significantly slower than his sister shouted. He'd hurt his clawed foot climbing the fence and having tweaked his ankle somewhat, couldn't keep pace beside his sister.

"You should give up." She taunted at last, a sly hint to her tone, "Make things quicker."

Bitz just tried to hide behind Preside up until Torment was able to get a hold of her. Her options limited even further, she stopped squirming and instead looked helplessly to Leech.

"Please help me..." she sobbed, halfly to her friend and halfly as a plea for her brother, wherever he was. "Please, please help me..!"


"Why should I?" Bier teased back. "I lost you once, I'll lose you again! There's no way I'll let myself be caught!"

Leech head tilted back up, at least acknowledging her speaking, he made no move though.

Preside rattled off some instructions to Torment before leaving, whether he was actually listening or not was another story. And then came the completely awkward stare down, for he wasn't moving at all. Kind of like a statue, but then again he often acted like a statue outside so it shouldn't be that surprising.

Leech had started making quiet whimpering noises again, although he hadn't dared to move closer.



"You got lucky last time." Miff that was further behind stated.

His sister didn't bother answering yet again, after all did she really WANT him to know that they should be able to outlast him in endurance? No. He'd probably dart off and hide.

"Leech...? Please...?" Bitz tried, she couldn't fathom why he did this, why he wouldn't help her. Finding that she wasn't carried or dragged off anywhere, at least not yet, she begun to try and pull free once more. After all, Preside had left, right? If she could get free, then, she could escape... Right?



"Lucky?" Bier called, trying not to laugh. "How, in that you're clumsy?!"

He begun to slow his pace, though. He wanted something to eat... Maybe it was all the running, or the overall high energy-consumption his race held, but he begun to feel REALLY hungry. Well, that just gave him another reason to find Bier, and he searched for his sister as he halfly focused on staying out of the Miffs grips.

Leech made no note of even having heard her. Maybe he hadn't for that matter. He was staring off in a random direction after all.

Torment glanced down at Bitz as if he really needed to confirm what was trying to escape. He didn't. Once he had confirmed it, he started pulling up, in his usual slow manner to lift her off her feet entirely. The purpose? Preside would probably be mad if he let her go. It was more or less a warning to knock it off. A wordless warning that he hadn't bothered to really state.



Miff growled--not so discretely about that comment. He had a tendency to let things get him worked up and totally display it. He had no comeback at all this time. Oh he would've yelled something had he had it, but he was utterly blank, and now his foot he had caught in the fence was hurting and slowing his pace, leaving an even larger gap between he and his sister.

His sister was smirking, noticing a slow down in pace. That meant he'd be unable to carry on soon enough wouldn't it?

(Oh BTW I meant to mock you c: Bier trying to find BIER? |D )

Bitz yelped as she found herself being pulled higher and higher up, until she was finally not touching the ground at all. She kicked and struggled helplessly, then looked up to Torment, whimpering. "Leech, please, anything... Do anything... Please help me...! ... Bier, help me!!"


Bier grimaced as he noticed himself slowing further. This was bad. He'd pissed them off too much to let himself be caught, he'd be lynched for sure! And without Bitz, he had no food to recharge with... He needed somewhere to hide, and went straight for one of the largest crowds he could find, trying to grab onto one of the people in it and use that person to hide.

Oh geez, I see I really did uphold to my whole I'll reply in a month =D thing.

Leech rather unhelpfully covered his head with his claw and hand.

Torment was quite tired of this begging of help on her behalf. He didn't want to listen to whining brats all day, so he started walking, back towards their little scrapyard base. Of course it was no faster than he had come by originally, but he kept Bitz from touching the ground regardless.

Leech whined, following after with, unenthusiastic steps, he was walking on two feet again, although quite awkwardly. He looked like a drunk anyway.
-

A crowd! Why'd he have to pick another crowd of all things? People were a pain to get through and commonly didn't respond to any excuse me a zetra might offer out. There was no time to be nice and search in a civilized fashion. Quickest way to clear out a crowded area? Scare the humans.

Miff flicked her brother with the tip of her tail then nodded towards the people. A silent command. A command to attack. Something that wouldn't end pretty considering they had both clawed hands and feet.

Bitz couldn't really do anything but let herself be carried along; attempts at shifting would just end badly, and she didn't dare to try and hit her captor. Instead she just hung limply and sobbed, looking pleadingly to Leech. Why oh why hadn't she listened to her brother? She knew she should have, but that her new friend would betray her like this...!

Hesitantly, she tugged at her scarf. A panicked plan, to drop it once they got near the scrapyard so Bier would know, but what if it made too much noise and Torment noticed? What would he do if he saw the hint? For now she just waited, trying to think through the tears and overall despair.



Bier just clung to the person he had grabbed; a fellow zetraloid, judging by the feel of the armor. Then, the two Miffs attacked... Bier yelped as his hiding place ran, shaking the smaller zetraloid off, and nearly fell. Looking around in a near panic, he noticed something; a toy store! He quickly rushed inside, as far in as he could, looking for wooden toys. He didn't have time to grab a puzzle, this he knew, so he just grabbed a wooden toy train and bit into it, eating the chimney in one bite and nearly choking on it as he barely chewed. He coughed, looking for somewhere to hide, and his eye fell on a discount bargain bin. It was full of huge stuffed bears, some kind of seasonal toy that had long gone out of fashion, but he didn't particularly care as he crawled into the bin - all the while eating up the train he had taken.

But with his yellow armor he still stood out incredibly! He thought quickly, not giving any thought at all to the store's owner, as he tried to shift to a more fitting form. The energy spent turned out to be too much, especially with the train not yet digested properly, and he blacked out... Leaving a dully brown and curiously bear-like shapeshifter curled up in the bottom of the bin, hands turned into little paws and helmet fins rounded to more resemble bear ears.

Too bad Bitz didn't know how horrible of senses Torment had. It might've aided her. He couldn't hear well, nor see well, nor did he have an amazing sense of touch. Or reaction for that matter. He was weird to say the least. Maybe it was part of why he operated on his own time schedule. Either way he carried on in utter disregard to Bitz and her sad/scared status.

Leech was walking quite normal now, as if he was a professional at this, although frowning. His head tilted up as if he were looking at Bitz although he couldn't have been considering he was blind. His tail brushed the ground as he picked up his pace to walk beside Torment, from the looks of him now, it would've been hard to guess that he typically ran around on four feet acting like a dog, he seemed just as human as anyone else. Well aside from his basic features and tail.

He slowed down after a bit, letting Torment take the lead again. He was a seriously disloyal creature. To everyone. Because now he had decided he liked Bitz better and was gonna try and help her.

--
Both the Miffs were looking around as they caused their chaos galore, but neither noticed Bier had gone into the toy store. Lack of observance. So once everyone had pretty much cleared out the two were looking around in quite a bit of confusion. He had been here hadn't he? They looked to each other, sharing the same question. Obviously they never considered he could run off either.

"Your plan failed." The previously injured male Miff stated

His sister glared, "At least I'm not a failure simply by creation, fluffy."

Her brother glared back at her, smoothing out his fluff at the comment, "You take that back!"

At least someone more capable had showed up anyway. Preside had finally caught up.

He listened for only a moment before intervening.

"Check the buildings." He ordered, "All of them. Now. Fast."

"Wha......all?" the two whined, clearly not wanting to.

Preside leaned down, which took quite a tilt of angle since he was so much taller. Regardless he was now pretty level with their faces and had his own quite close, "Now."

Bitz sniffled and tried not to cry further, even as her arm begun to ache from being carried so high up. She saw what Leech was doing, but she couldn't bring herself to trust that he would help, even with the way he stared at her. He'd done nothing to aid her, just looked sad, so she didn't believe that he would do anything to help now either.


Had he not currently been a passed-out teddybear imitation, Bitz would no doubt have been overjoyed at the difficulties he had caused his pursuers. But as it was, he just sort of lay there, a smooth and humanoid bear among all the fat fluffballs in the store's bargain bin.

Torment was oblivious to Leech doing anything. Until he charged forward that was and clung to the others back. It did an excellent job of knocking him off balance and confusing him for sure, although probably not the most enjoyable ride for Bitz as he swung that arm around that was holding her.

Leech nearly fell off, but managed to get his claw foot and hand dug in to better support himself as he gnawed at the strap that held Torment's face plate on. It wasn't anything fancy so he got through it pretty easily and then it fell partially forward, because really it was a part of his face, just not connected by much. It put incredible strain on the few things it was stuck by though and he ended up tossing Bitz to grab it with both hands.

Leech let go, using Torment's back as a launch pad to bounce off of and land in a slight slide on his hands and feet.
--

The Miffs began their search, not pleased at all to be forced to do so, especially in a rapid manner. It was hard to search when people didn't want you in their places and stuff, but regardless the two were forcing their ways through. Preside himself didn't go in since he was kind of big and couldn't check all the small places.

Bitz let out a startled yelp as she was suddenly swung back and forth harshly, and then thrown aside, tumbling and instinctively tucking her limbs close to her body until she stopped moving. She sat up, wincing as she looked to the large zetraloid only to find him holding his face as though trying to keep it from falling off. N-No - it WAS falling off!

She choked up, but on some level remembered that terrible monster and that she needed to get away while she could, so she got to her feet and ran. Not knowing where to, she stumbled from side to side a few times before managing to stabilize herself and dash toward the city, toward the hideout they had found that was so unsafe yet so safe, feeling much safer than anything else she had seen recently.

She didn't even glance back to see if Leech would come along. She had no idea what he had planned to do, and her thoughts refused to focus on anything that could delay her escape - such as the unpredictable creature she had called her friend.