Keva flooded her body with adrenaline and swiped at the shadow with an arching sweep of her left claw. The Shadow dissipated and dissolved right in front of her. She followed her slower attack with a quick jab underneath with her strong right. This caught the Shadow just as it was coalescing back into its form. Keva ripped through the cold vapor of the form and sliced it in two. The Shadow fell and dissolved back into the mist that swirled around her feet. Either she was getting better at this, or the Shadows were getting sloppy. She immediately turned to help the Berserkers.

The Northmen had formed a partial circle facing outward. They were holding off the Shadows, attacking with their hatchets and swords only when the Shadows got close. Keva was impressed with their discipline.

She moved in to flank a single attacking shadow. She attacked the thing that was immediately joined by two others. Keva felt pressed as she struck out at the formless shapes in front of her. Her legs were grabbed and then her right arm was immobile. She flooded her body with adrenaline to try and break the hold.

A hand axe sliced through air, so close to her she felt the air move from around the cold steel of the weapon. Her right arm was free and she slashed viciously at the Shadows that had grabbed her legs. She looked up and saw a Northman smile as he hefted his axe and took another swing at an approaching Shadow, making it drift back away from him like a dandelion blossom caught in the wind.

Keva looked for Alrick and shouted over the grunts and strangely quiet battle that was raging around her, "Alrick?! Alrick, we have to keep moving. If we stay here, we'll be outnumbered and overrun."

The leader of the Berserkers nodded as he took a few cuts with his axe at an approaching shadow and whistled, loud, clear, and shrill.

The Shadows paused around the semi-circle of Berserkers, as if listening to the sound as it disappeared into the vastness of the Whyte Plain. Alrick spoke to his people in their native tongue, "Lets move, twelve rear guard, cover circle formation."

Keva didn't understand word for word what was said, but as Alrick motioned forward she understood the idea and Keva took point. Opting for speed above any kind of maneuvering, she moved directly towards the feeling in her head that was her pack.

They moved as a group in a rough circle. The shape shifted and flowed as the Shadows harassed them. The Northmen knew what they were doing and before Keva could respond to any press by the Shadows around them, the Northmen moved to reinforce and close gaps in the circle. Keva moved as fast as she dared while keeping the formation together.

* * * * *

Keva stepped out of the Whyte Plain having no real idea of where she was. Without Michelle to help guide her, all she had was google maps and a prayer that she would end up anywhere near close to the heliport she was shooting for.

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A rough tap on her shoulder drew her attention away from the sun shine and towards exactly what she was looking for, The Sunset-Glendale Heliport. Keva couldn't help but smile as she and her group of Berserkers started walking towards the terminal.

The Berserkers had proven themselves when it came to fighting. She wasn't sure how they would respond to finding shadows at first, evil and vapor combined into pure malice. But the Berserkers had fought hard and had even killed some of the Shadows that had attacked them.

Now Keva was looking at the sun, seeing it way too high in the sky than she would have liked. The battle at Dukart Tower would be well under way by now. She wondered how her pack was doing? They were alive, at least she could feel that much. But how were the rest of them doing? How many had died already? She was here now and if her plan worked, she would have a nice surprise for the vamps.

"What were those things back there?" Alrick asked with a bit of an edge to his voice.

Keva took a deep breath before answering, "They are the Shadows of the Whyte Plain. They hunt us when we travel through the Plain."

"Hunt for what purpose?" one of the Northmen asked.

"They hunt us to corrupt us and add us to their numbers. They are hunger, they are malice and anger in physical form, such that they are."

"Will we have any lasting side effects from our encounter?" Alrick asked.

"Did any of your people get swarmed or grabbed in any way for any period of time?" Keva asked?

Alrick looked around and got head shakes from everyone.

"Then I think you're going to be ok. For what its worth you guys did great back there. I've seen Shape shifters do a lot worse." Keva paused, "and thanks, thanks for coming along."

Alrick smiled, "It's not in my nature to turn down a lady who needs help."

Keva nodded but changed the subject to something a little more pressing, "Alrick, you wouldn't happen to know how to fly a helicopter would you?" Keva asked as casually as she could nodding to the heliport.

"Me?" Alrick laughed at the question. "No, not at all! I'm more of a 'keeping my feet on the ground' type of guy. But," He turned his head and called out behind him, "Soren! I need to talk to you for a bit."

A young man in his early twenties ran up to join Alrick and Keva. He had short light brown hair with green eyes that held a bit of mischief in them. Keva found herself liking the man on sight.

"What is it, Chief?"

Alrick smiled and shook his head, "You can call me Alrick when we are away from our lodge. You know I don't stand on ceremony except when I have to."

"Sure thing. What can I do for you and the lady, Alrick?"

"Can you fly a helicopter?" Keva asked.

Soren smiled, "Well it depends on the model, and I'm sure there may be one or two that might take me a minute or two to figure out. But if it's got a working rotor and tail rotor, I can fly her, if I do so say myself."

"Does that answer your question, Keva?" Alrick asked.

Keva nodded as she gave a wry smile, "I think so. Depending on what we might find in there though I may still need to convince one or two pilots to help us out."

"Convincing people is my specialty," Alrick said with a smile.

Keva walked towards the heliport, hoping that she exuded the confidence that she would like to feel. She had never really done anything illegal, but theft of aircraft, and possible kidnapping? Suddenly she was very nervous but her friends were risking their lives right now, and she was not going to be stopped from helping them, not by vamps or anything else.

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