Kiara tilted her head back, staring up at the gray clouds above. Her gray eyes bore a haunted look as the rain drops splashed across her cheeks, "This was my fault. He was looking for me, and you nearly got killed."

     "Don't take that personally," Hunter told her with a sigh, brushing himself off, "That happens all the time."

     "Don't lie." Kiara said softly, her eyes closing, "He was only after me. He told me so."

     "No, it's- wait, it told you? As in, spoke to you?" Hunter stared at her, his dark eyes widening, "Shadowbeasts don't speak, Kiara."

     "They do. I heard him." she pulled a strand of her white hair over her shoulder, rubbing the strands between her fingers as in deep in thought. "He told me he wanted to eat me. That was his mission."

    "Shadowbeasts don't have missions either," Hunter brushed raindrops away from his eyes as he continued to stare at her. "They attack randomly. But... was that all it said?"

     "It said that it had to complete its mission. That was his job. And if he didn't complete it, he'd have to face... Carnirus."

     "Face what?"

      "Something called Carnirus. I'm pretty sure that's what he told me." Kiara said softly, turning her head to look over at him.

     "Carnirus..." Hunter muttered, thinking it over, "Doesn't sound familiar. Do you know anything called a Carnirus?"

     "I do not. But I must leave you," Kiara turned away, "Staying will get you hurt or worse. It was nice meeting you, Hunter."

     Hunter crossed his arms, "If you go, you'll get yourself killed. And don't tell me you're a ghost so you can't die, because being killed by a shadowbeas sends you into nonbeing. You won't exist anymore."

     Kiara stared at him for a long moment, her head cocked to the side. "Why do you care if I stay or go?"

     Hunter scowled, "You're my friend, right? One of two. And if I can help you, I will. Besides, you could help me figure out why there are so many shadowbeasts around all of a sudden."

    Her head tilted even more to the side, "Is it?"

     "Er... what is?"

     "Is it all of a sudden? Or have they just been coming from somewhere else?" Kiara asked, her gray eyes shining with curiosity.

     "Well... I suppose it's possible..." Hunter said thoughtfully, his mind drifting as he considered the possibility, "I think Raxus mentioned something about a Shadow Kingdom... but it was awhile ago."

     "Shadow Kingdom?" Kiara's brow furrowed in concentration, "Where the shadowbeasts come from?"

     "Yeah... I think there was something about how shadowbeasts were created... but I don't remember." Hunter rubbed his forehead, "We can talk to Raxus tomorrow. But for now, let's just go home and try to sleep."

    "I don't sleep."

     "Oh, right. Er... sorry?" Hunter wasn't sure how to respond, so he just shrugged it off, "Anyway," he began as they walked back down the street, "Once we figure out how a shadowbeast is created, we might be able to do something about this entire mess. You with me?"

     Kiara hesitated, thinking it over, then gave a small nod, "Only until we get attacked again. I don't wish to destroy the peace of the living."

    Hunter grinned, stomping his foot in a puddle enthusiastically, "Great! So tomorrow we'll get answers."

     They continued to walk down the street, then they turned the corner. And Hunter froze, staring at his house, his jaw dropping. About five shadowbeasts were snuffling around outside his house, across the street from where Hunter and Kiara currently stood. And the biggest of the five looked up, its glowing red eyes staring straight at them.

     "Run?" Kiara glanced at Hunter.

     "Run," Hunter agreed, grabbing her hand as they raced down the street back the way they had come. He glanced over his shoulder to see the beasts leaping after them, "This is NOT good!"

    "Hunter!" Kiara shrieked as another shadowbeast lunged out from in front of them.

     They both jerked back, but Kiara grabbed his wrist, pulling him down a side alleyway, "Split up," she told him as they darted away, "They'll leave you alone!"

     "I have the dog whistle," Hunter said, glancing back, "Gah, they're right behind us!"

     "Use your whistle!" Kiara gasped, glancing behind them as well, "Use it now!!" she pulled him past people, weaving amongst the crowd. The shadowbeasts, of course, just ran through them as if they didn't exist, barking wildly as they went.

Hunter struggled to pull the whistle out of his pocket, but it was caught on a loose thread, "Aw, great!" their feet splashed in puddles, but a shadowbeast surged forward, knocking Kiara off her feet.

     The spirit rolled onto her back, out of the way of its jaws with a gasp, and Hunter jerked her to her feet before the other one that was leaping forward could get her. They both continued to run, and Hunter finally pulled the whistle from his pocket, "I got it!"

     But the shadowbeast directly behind slammed into him, throwing him forward off his feet. As Hunter crashed against the asphalt, he dropped the whistle, and it rolled into a storm drain.

     "I hate life." he decided as he heard it clang down into the depths of the drain. Kiara pulled him to his feet, her gray eyes flashing with emotions he didn't have time to distinguish. As the demon leapt forward, they slid under it and Hunter pulled Kiara through an open window.

    They tumbled through the floor, then outside through another door. Hunter was struggling to breath, but he found himself continuing to run.

    A minute later, they slowed to a halt, glancing around, "I...I think we lost them..." he panted wearily, wiping raindrops from his eyes, "They're gone..."

     There was a yelp of pain in the distance, sounding as if it was coming for a shadowbeast, and he and Kiara exchanged worried glances.

    Then Hunter noticed a farmer's sickle behind him, leaning against the wall of a green house. At the same time he noticed this, something threw him backwards into the wall.

     A small shadowbeast loomed over them, saliva dripping from its blood stained maw, and its claws clicked on the pavement as it slunk forward. Then it lunged at Kiara. Hunter leapt forward, swinging the sickle straight into the creature's face, and it staggered back, blood gushing from between its eyes as it collapsed to the floor with a low, dying growl.

    A second shadowbeast sprang up, and Kiara grabbed the sickle from Hunter, ducking aside beneath the claws before slicing upwards with the weapon, cutting the demon's flank. It snarled at her, barring its fangs, then snapped fiercely at her.

     Hunter watched in surprise as Kiara expertly wielded the sickle, slicing the shadowbeast every time it got close enough.

     The shadowbeast threw itself forward, and Kiara ducked out of the way, bringing the sickle down to kill it. But the creature was suddenly thrown back by a supernatural force, tumbling across the wet stone.

     A giant, black panther with wings that folded neatly into its sides slammed down onto the ground in front of them, its long teeth widening in a fierce roar.

     "That's why you never send a shadowbeast to do the dirty work," the black-haired man sitting atop the panther creature's back said with a frown, rolling his slitted eyes in annoyance, "They just can't do it."

     "Who're you?" Hunter demanded, stepping forward.

     "None of your concern," the man smirked, "However, I might tell you if you hand over your little spirit friend."

     "No way," Hunter shook his head, "Why do you want her?"

    "That is also none of your concern," the man shrugged his shoulders, "But let's just say I need her for an exchange. That's all you need to know."

     Kiara was staring at the man, her eyes wide, "An exchange?"

     "Aye. So be a good little girl and come along with me, or you'll be forced," the man told her, extending his hand.

      "She's not going anywhere," Hunter said fiercely, "So ride your little flying kitty cat back to where you came from."

     The man laughed, "And what do you say, Spirit?"

     "I'm staying with Hunter," she said quietly, "I won't go with you."

    The man sighed, shaking his head, "Ah, that's a shame. I really wanted this to be quick and clean, but looks like it can't be this way. Dagaz- take her soul."

     The panther creature surged forward, and before Hunter could move, Kiara collapsed to the ground as the jaws tore through her, her shriek of surprise cut off.

    "Kiara!!" Hunter shouted, staring in horror as her silver blood painted the pavement, then he looked up at the man in obvious disbelief, "Y-you... killed her!"

    "She's not dead," the man laughed, "Just without her soul. I have her soul now. And its coming back with me to the Shadow Kingdom."

    "Give it back!" Hunter shouted, darting forward, but in a flash of light, the man, cat demon, and shadowbeast had vanished.

     And Hunter, staring at the place they had been in disbelief, found himself alone in the alleyway.