Salem and Kadrid slowly turned around to see her standing there with a wickedly playful look upon her paled face. She glared at the two intruders with fierce dark eyes. She had gorgeous blue and black curls that drooped down past her shoulders. She was wearing a velvet dark purple bodice with a long flowing silver skirt that swayed in the breeze around her.

"What are you doing in my swamp?" She growled at the two of them like a rabid wolf during a full moon.

"Hello there we're sorry, just passing though here." Salem tried to keep the peace and not anger her further he bowed to her in hopes of forgiveness.

"Are you now? Who are you ?" She snarled.

"My apologies miss, I'm Salem, this here is Kadrid, my friend." He explained to her.

"If you are passing through my swamp where are you going?" She asked with a suspisious curiosity.

"To find one of the portals, someone i care for has been taken and i must find her." Salem answered her honestly.

After a few minutes of silence the hybrid warlock spoke first.

"What is your name miss?"

"Nixine." She replied in a flat tone.

"The voodoo princess Nixine?" Salem asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, that would be me." She responded to him.

"We do apoligise for disturbing you. If it is permitted we can just be on our way." Kadrid spoke up.

"Why should i believe you?For all i know you could have been sent here by one of my enemies to spy on me." She pointed out.

"Do you want proof of loyalty?" Salem asked half joking.

"What do you have?" She asked him.

"Potions and travel nessesities." He told her.

"I'll tell you what, this will just be my good deed for the century."

"Really, do you mean it?"

"Yes, i can read others, thier souls. I like yours. You're no threat to me or the creatures here." She told him before dissapearing back into the fog of the swampland.

Kadrid breathed a deep sigh of relief and shook her head. "Come on we should get moving." She suggested to her warlock.

Just as she said that something began bubbling from the middle of the swamp. Startled he backed up a few steps. Then the bubbling got louder and something leaped out of the water. Salem was amazed. He had until now only heard of the dwarf sized paranah shark, never seen one. It had the sharp pointed teeth and scales of a paranah, yet the fin of a shark. It was enough for the warlock he took off through the forest until he had put a couple miles between himself and the horrid swamp.

Kadrid followed him slowly, trying her best not to laugh at her warlock. He should know that she would protect him from anything or anyone dare to harm her Salem. She just shook her head as she paced the forest until she caught up to him.

"Kadrid why didn't you run from that thing?" He asked looking at her as if she were half crazy.

"The creature posed no threat to us, he just wanted us to leave his swamp." She replied calmly.

"How do you know that?"

"It's just a creature thing."

The two of them continued walking through the rest of the exotic forest. After another twenty miles Kadrid turned to Salem.

"When shall i fly again?" She asked batting her eyelashes.

"Oh yes of course, now is fine by me."

He then proceeded to climb onto the dragon's back and held on tightly as the two of them took off to the open skies. Kadrid absolutley loved it. Flying through the air with the entire world below her, it gave her a sense of euphoria that couldn't be experienced by mortals. It gave her a sense of freedom and power that brought joy to her soul and curiosity to her heart.

Salem didn't exacly share her love of flying but found it to be a nice serene way to travel. He then held onto her a little tighter as his mind began to wander off. He hoped this quest didn't bring Kadrid harm. He wouldnt be able to live with himself if anything happened to her. There were only two creatures in the known universe he loved like that. They were on their way to rescue the other one. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by the dragon.

"How far away is the portal?" The dragon asked.

"We're nowhere near it." He answered her without batting an eye. After a long moment of silence, it felt uncomfortable for just a moment.

"Kadrid, I love you I need you to know that." Salem told her trying not to get things too emotional.

"I love you too and i do know it, i've known it for years." She replied to him.

"Are you getting tired? Would you like to walk a while?" He asked her.

"Not for a while trust me."

"Okay, i was only checking."

Kadrid said nothing but simply rolled her eyes. Didn't he know she could tell when he was full of it? She held back the giggle of laughter that was trying to escape her. Flapping her wings a little harder she increased her speed. Kadrid flew on for the next three hours finally exiting the borders of the Tydialin forest. She looked down to see small villages and towns. She then yelled to Salem.

"Where are we?"

"The land of confusion.That's why you don't know where we are." He replied

"What do you mean?"

"This area is called the land of confusion because it is under an enchantment that is meant to confuse travellers." Salem explained to her.

"That's just plain weird." The dragon told him.

"I'd have to agree with you on that one, but don't worry we will be clear of this forest soon." Salem told her as he hugged onto her a little tighter, his baby Kadrid.

catioCrt