@ Red:

Bark sounds awesome!

I am so joining this!

name: Lexi Riverstone- pronounced river stone (I have no idea why)

Age: 12-13 I know how to write 'bout kids my age.

appearance: I don't know yet but I'm think a cross between Nikki and Molly American Dolls 

We need a pet. All awesome things that go bump in the night hunter stories have pets.

I'm making it a HIM.

pet: dog; ( what kind of dog?)

Name: Sherlock

loves: food. Duh

hates: cats, being called a scardy cat. Double duh! 

When are we starting this thing? I can't wait! 

The manticore had been terrorizing the villagers for weeks before they finally worked up the nerve to call for professional help. The particular group who answered appeared at first glance to be like all monster hunters. A group of young women and girls, with a variety of weapons. Bows, knives, the usual sort. They asked for a reasonable pay amount and certainly acted professionally and didn't cause a fuss in the inn they stayed at for a night. The people were thankful that soon they might be free of their monster and didn't pry much at the people said to get rid of the monster and thus never noticed the oddity.

Currently, the oddity was embroiled in a ferocious battle with the dog.

For the life of him, Bark could never understand why that dog hated him so much. It was a bad-tempered animal that loved the girls unconditionally and hunted monsters with a fiery passion, which it reserved for Bark if monsters weren't around. Bark had complained loudly before, but Lexi, the one who had brought the dog in the first place, had whined that he was her dog and going to stay and Fiona put her foot down and inisisted he stay. Bark had then told them that either their white mage or the dog was leaving, and Kat laughed and flung him into the stewpot. Sometimes, he didn't know why he put up with these girls. 

Presently, the dog was trying to chew on his feet which was a terrible nuisance at the best of times and a great way to attract a manticore if you so happened to be chasing one. Rather, he wasn't. Anna had gone on ahead to find it and the others, including Bark, had hung back for a little while and then had decided to circle around and try to trap it while Anna kept it occupied. A good plan, it seemed at the time, but Bark did not count on getting stuck with Amira and Sherlock.

"Will you keep it down back there?" Amira hissed in annoyance. 

"I'm trying, my good lady," whined Bark, "but I'm also trying to avoid this dog before he takes off my feet."

"Why does it even matter? You can fly whether you have feet or no," snapped Amira.

"My good young woman," Bark began, while flying higher to avoid Sherlock's snapping jaws, "if this beast of Lexi's manages to take off my poor, humble paws then I should not only be in a great deal of pain, but most likely also bleeding. If we are truly hunting a manticore, then it will sesne that blood and come over here to finish the job of this stupid dog-" here he jumped higher to avoid his tail being caught in the creature's mouth "and we'll all be eaten!"

"And we'll all be eaten if you don't be quiet and-"

Amira broke off suddenly. Sherlock tensed, his battle with Bark forgotten. A low growl had resonated from the nearby trees and an enormous shadowy creature could be seen perched in it. 

"Well, well", Bark thought. "We are in trouble indeed." 

I'll make my charrie male so there's more balance.

Name: Garrett Killien

Age: 17

Description: Think Liam Hemsworth in the Hunger Games movie: wicked tall, brown hair, rugged good looks

Personality: dark, mean, not a good guy, but also funny and sarcastic

Weapon: big menacing spear and maybe a net but I'm not sure

I'll be back to post when my keyboard isn't malfunctioning. 

Garrett-

Most hunters killed only when necessary and only to rid the world of pesky or dangerous creatures.  That's how I started.  It's not how I will end, though.  I switched my purpose and my prey a while back.  Now, I'll kill any creature.  Just because I'm bored or someone paid me enough money.  I'm the hunter other hunters run from, because they know even they aren't safe.

I woke up this morning ready, checking the wall for the spear I always keep near me.  Walked downstairs, poured a cup of coffee.  You know, normal human stuff.  I wasn't planning on killing anything today.  Today was supposed to be my day off.  I was planning on taking out my violin and playing all day.  Most kids my age would probably be going to school right now, but those things made me nervous.  Too many people in one space.  

Just as I was sitting down to play a bit of a Bach song, there was a knock on the door.  I sighed and slammed down the violin.  "It's my bloody day off!" 

A girl in a bright floral dress walked into the room.  "Not anymore."  She smirked, making her look purely evil.  The jet black hair and scar running across her left cheek didn't help matters much.  The pattern of the dress seemed rather ironic.

"The door was locked and bolted.  It's supposed to be pick-proof." I grumbled.

"I had keys made before I left." she remarked casually, flicking lint off her skirt.

"Julia?  What happened to your hair and your cheek?"

"I just wanted to have a change.  And the scar's from a manticore."  She sat down in my favorite armchair and picked up the violin.  Without even looking, she played a bit of the song I was playing.  It sounded much more effortless than when I played it.

"You've been practicing.  Mother would be delighted," I said.  She laughed.  

"Mother did always like me best."

I looked at her for a second.  "Why did you come back?  The last time I saw you, you said you'd never speak to me again for what I did."

"What, I can't just drop in to say hi to my only brother?"  I glared at her.  We'd never been close.  Our mother had raised us to be in direct competition with each other, to the point that I never got dinner some nights because she had beaten me in some stupid competition.  If she was back, that meant she wanted something.

She sighed.  "I need your spear."

Is it ok if I write as Sherlock? **sounds from monster fight**

I'll take that as a yes.

(I'll post as Lexi next time, ok?)

//Sherlock\\

**sniff sniff**

’Allo there! I’m Sherlock. I don’t know if you can hear me, but I hear me, so I shall assume.

So the thing is, my owner’s a nice little girl named Lexi. I like her, she likes me. Except she’s intent upon the subject of chasing monsters. I oblige, reluctantly, to help.

And then there’s Bark. I liked him the instant I met him. I mean, look at his name!

I try to show it by chewing his shoes, but he won’t accept my friendship! I was only trying to be friendly. (o_o(*)

Aroof!! Ahoy! Humans! Monster alert!

A minute later “Lexi! Watch out! There’s a monster behind you!”

Harrumph. They never listen to me.... Sometimes I think I should just....

But then I think of Lexi! How sad she would be if I ran away....

**THUMP**

Ok, better make that: ‘How miserable she’d be if I got eaten’ !!!

RUN!!!!!!