``Alone-The Dungeon``

[Aspen]

<sub>Drip, drip, drip. Small drops of water fell slowly, steadily, from the ceiling and landed in the growing puddle on the grimy floor. A small shaft of pale gray light, the only light entering the room at all, came from a large crack at the top of the opposite wall. In a dark corner lay the single living creature in this foresaken dungeon. Aspen's side rose and fell rythmically with the dripping water. Her stomach ached terribly. She hadn't had a single bite to eat in five days, ever since her uncle had locked her down here.

She let out a gaping yawn and stretched, rising to her feet, gazing at the pale light. She could only imagine the horror that her island was enduring at the paws of Agro. She had been their only hope. And now the fate of the island lay with the rebels. She hoped they had found the place she told them about. It had been her secret place. Not even her father knew of its existance. She slowly and stifly returned to her side and let her eyes droop closed. She would need all her strength when they came for her.</sub>

[laylers]

It was all pure chaos. The entire ordeal. Guards were off raiding the village once more, and for what? A few slaps of meat? The death of an innocent dog whose allegiance may or may not reside with Apollo? Agro had gone mad and everyone knew it. Though it was a miracle Zane had even gotten around the raiding party. Normally he would be forced to attend as well, watching the blood thirsty guards have their fun. Sometimes it was a little much for Zane to handle. At times he wished he could race in and stop the massacring, fight back against the guards. But doing this would compromise his cover, and the rebellion needed what little spies they possessed in the palace for information on her highness, Aspen.

Zane had accompanied a guard or two to see the heiress, making sure she still lived no doubt. After one or two times of checking on her with others, Zane had memorized the way to the dungeon, he needed the directions for the rebellion when they finally decided to rescue her. But for now, Zane used this knowledge to come to her now while many of the guards were gone. This time instead of coming with head held high as a guard, Zane came with his head lowered, a slab of meat in his jaw, as a servant.

He made his way down the stair case, entering the cold dark dungeon, a few drops of water hitting his head every now and then. It gave him chills to think of the heiress being held here, cold and wet, no doubt starving to death as well. Though when he saw her, it was worst than he originally imagined. She laid there, almost motionless with the exception of the raising and lowering of her stomach, breathing. She looked withered, beaten and broken, it was a sight that merely reminded Zane of how far the island had fallen.

Zane silently walked closer, till finally he paused, dropping the slab of meat at his feet. "Your highness..." His voice was soft, in a low whisper. He was afraid for someone to hear him, but Zane hoped it'd be enough to wake her from her sleep.

[Aspen]

Aspen lifted her head at the sound of company. She blinked wearily and peered in the dim light. She spotted one of Agro's guards. She recognized him from his previous trips to her secluded prison. This time was seemed different however. He was accompanied by no one and he held a slab of meat in his jaws. His head was bowed in submission. He was on her side. Aspen lifted herself to her feet and limped over to the bars. She had not had much use for her legs in the past week, and they had grown weak because of it. "Rise, good servant," she rasped. Her voice did not sound like it belonged to her. It was the voice of a stranger. She cleared her throat and spoke again, "Please tell me, how is the outside?" Though her voice was scratchy and her appearence ragged and defeated, a small glint of hope still shone in her eyes as she awaited the news of her precious island.

[laylers]

Zane picked up the meat once more, bringing it to the bars. He weaseled jaws along with the meat in between the bars and dropped the meat before her feet. Her voice seemed so distant, as if it had traveled the length of a canyon. It pained Zane to see her like this. Though what was even more difficult then looking at her was answering her question.

Her highness's island had fallen. Dogs were attacking each other for mere scraps, and Agro's guards were not making matters any better. They were pitting the dogs against each other, killing those that wished the heiress freed. Her island was dieing at the hands of her uncle. But the mere thought of informing her of this pained him deeply.

"Not well..." Zane spoke, his voice low. He bowed his head slightly, a sign of sorrow as he continued, "Agro has gone mad with power, and the island is reaping it's consequences." Zane postponed looking up at the heiress again, not wanting to see the look on her face when she took in the news, so he merely continued on, hoping the next bit of news might cushion the blow, "Your followers are still recruiting my lady. Some are hidden away in the palace, like myself, gathering information as we speak....we will free you."

[Aspen]

_{Aspen listened intently to the dog's report, dread seeping through her veins. She shook her head, attempting to clear her mind. It was a dream. None of this seemed real. She couldn't really be loosing her island. "Some are hidden away in the palace, like myself, gathering information as we speak....we will free you," he was saying. Her legs shook with the effort of standing for so long. She let her muscles relax and sank to the cold, hard floor. She stared into the distance, trying to grasp everything she was told. "We must move..." Aspen was interuppted by a bout of coughing. She breathed heavily, struggling to recover, heaving herself back to her feet in strong resolve. "We must move quickly then..." More coughing. She knew she needed rest. And she needed to eat the meat he had brought her. But her island needed her more. You're no good to them dead, Aspen, She told herself. But what good was she trapped in here? Finally the coughing subsided. Her whole body trembled with the effort in took just to stand. "We must...get...safe..." she whispered in labored breaths. She collapsed back to the floor and tried in frustration to stand again.}

[Swifty]

Knight slunk expertly through the shadows, his presence going unnoticed for as long as he wanted it to. The king's guards were out reeking havoc on the village once again and Knight had decided that now would be the best time to make his first of many appearances.

Now he found himself inside the palace, sliding along the outside of the dungeons. Last he had heard, Aspen, the princess of the island, was being held here by her own uncle Agro.

Knight had been sent by Draco, the leader of the rebels, to check on Aspen and see if she would be fit enough to escape soon. The rebels knew that they had to get Aspen out of the dungeons before Agro decided to kill her in front of the whole village.
If Aspen was killed, the village would have very little hope of escaping the terror that Agro had brought upon the island.
Knight snapped back to the present and focused all of his attention back onto the mission he was performing right now. The rebels had another double agent living in the palace named Zane.

While Knight was also a double agent, he was only a servant now which made it easy for him to sneak away unnoticed whenever he had to go meet with the rebels and Draco.
Knight stopped dead in his tracks when his tall black ears caught the sound of soft voices bouncing off the marble walls.
He lifted his nose and caught the familiar scent of Aspen as well as the scent of a guard.

He was hoping it was Zane but he wasn't sure. Knight leaned around the corner just a little so he could see the guard who was in fact Zane. Knight breathed a sigh of relief but scented the rest of the area to be sure that there were no other guards close by.

When he didn't scent anyone else, he carefully revealed himself, staying a safe distance from Aspen and Zane. While Knight had met Zane many times before since they worked together a lot, he had never actually met the princess. Sure he watched her to be sure she was safe but she had never known that he was there nor had she met him before.

He took a couple of steps towards them, his posture non aggressive so he wouldn't startle Aspen.

"Zane, I am glad you are here. Draco sent me to see if the princess will be ready to travel soon. We have recieved word that Argo is planning on making a public display of her death very soon. Sooner than we expected." He explained, his voice soft as well so he didn't alert anyone unwanted.

Knight turned his ocean blue eyes on Aspen, a small smile crossing his face briefly before he bowed low to the ground in front of her.

"Your highness, please excuse my manners, my name is Knight." He introduced himself, waiting for her nod before he rose back to his paws.

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ooc: Hey laylers, I went ahead and had Zane and Knight know each other since they are the only two double agents in the palace right now and I figured they would be working together. Hope that's cool.

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[laylers]

ooc; oh that's perfectly fine c:

bic;

Zane squinted inwardly at her collapsing to her feet. He felt rather helpless at this point. She seemed weak and on the brink of death, a picture no one should ever have to see of their heiress.

Suddenly Zane's jaw clenched, taking in another scent. It was unfamiliar at first. A guard? Servant? A spy for Agro? His mind wondered with the millions of possibilities.
Always the little worrier.
Zane calmed slightly though, when the scent became stronger, familiar.
Knight.
Zane looked in his direction, watching him come into view. Knight and he had worked many times with each other in and out of the palace. Both being double agents for the rebellion.
Knight's position was as a servant, remaining in the shadows t collect information and easily sneak off back to the rebellion. Where as Zane chose to work as a guard himself, hoping to learn how his guards operate in order to move easily around them.

He listened to Knight's statement, rather too intently. He had an idea Agro was planning a public display of the Aspen's death, but soon? His eyes returned back on the weak heiress, then back to Knight. "She is still rather weak..." He began, "She could possibly be ready for travel soon..." His eyes returned back on Aspen as she laid before them.

[Swifty]

Knight nodded his head as he listened to what Zane was saying. Sadness filled his heart as he regretted what he had to say next.

"She must be ready to travel by tomorrow night. Her execution has been schedule for the night after tomorrow." He replied, his voice grave with sympathy and regret.

His ocean blue eyes turned their gaze on Aspen, a depressed look in his eyes as he say once again how bad her condition was right now.

There was no way she could be able to travel by tomorrow night. They would have to travel very slow and Knight wasn't sure if they would be able to outrun the guards that would definitely be searching for them.

His gaze then turned back to Zane, a look of hope on his face now. He knew the island. There were many places they could hide along the way. They could do it. It would be hard and dangerous but with some luck they would be able to make it to the little cave on the beach by the time the guards started searching the area for them.

[Aspen]

Aspen listened to the guards' conversation. So they had moved her execution. She began to nibble feebily at the meat the first guard had brought her. She must be ready to leave by tomorrow night. If she was unable to make the journey, there would be no one left to save her island. She finished the slab of meet and rose to a sitting position. "I shall be ready to leave tomorrow evening. My legs are only weak because I have not used them, nor have I had nourishment to keep my body strong. But tomorrow I will be fine," her voice wavered, for she wasn't entirely sure that she would in fact be fine. "Now you best go," she told them, "I need my rest and you don't need to be suspected." She retreated to her corner and curled up, resting her chin on her front paws and letting her eyelids droop closed. Tomorrow she would be ready. She had to be.

[Swifty]

Knight dipped his head to Aspen and couldn't help but smile at the young princess's determination to save her kingdom.
"As you wish your majesty." Knight whispered softly.

He turned his attention back to Zane, his ocean blue eyes gleaming in the darkness. Zane was Knight's trusted friend and he knew that if anyone could get Aspen ready to travel, it would be him. Knight had faith in Zane and knew that together they would be able to save the princess. As long as everything went according to planned, they would be able to do it.

"Can you get the keys to her cell by tomorrow night?" He asked, his voice low and quiet so that way that he wouldn't wake up Aspen. She would need her rest if they were going to escape tomorrow and travel all the way around the island.