Harbinger of...Donuts?

The room was dark, only the moonlight crept through the gaps in the blinds. A tall, dark figure with blood-red eyes stood in the middle of the room, the moonlight eerily glistening off his red and purple fur. "Tell me...Have you ever seen a creature so vile, one with razor-sharp fangs and a massive serpentine body. One who is said to devour hordes of creatures and metal? One who is...Pink?" A sharp-fanged grin appeared on the face of the dark figure.

"No, but I went to Quetzal Palace once." The light came on, switched on by another in the room. A spider. She put her arms behind her back and grinned back at the exposed figure. It was just Zatarin.

"Karia, you ruined it. I was trying to be dramatic!" Zatarin snorted and shook his head, disappointed. "Can't you play along just once?" The saggitari gestured a paw at Karia.

"Never. Forget the serpent! I heard today a salesperson was in town selling magic donuts! I want you to come with me." Karia chirped and clasped her hand together, a look of expectation on her face.

"...Magic donuts?" Zatarin questioned. What kind of donut is magic? "Who told you this? That sounds nonsensical!...But, I shall humor you. I'll go see with you just this once."

"Yes!" Karia jumped up and darted circles around Zatarin in excitement. "Then let's go!" Karia reached up to grab Zatarin's paw then she tried to walk forward with him. Her legs just scurry in place, she's not moving nor is he.

"Karia, who said you can grab my paw like that?" Zatarin scoffed and pulled his paw away. Karia ended up running forward now that what was stopping her was removed but she quickly slammed on the brakes.

"Cruel, but justifiable." Karia stated then walked to the front door alone and opened it to walk outside. She made sure to leave the door open behind her. Zatarin sighed before following her out the door, shutting it behind him. The outside of Zatarin's home was surrounded by trees, but there was one path that was clear. That was the path they headed down. But despite being clear of trees, it was still horribly dark. It was almost as if the moonlight couldn't reach the path. This didn't faze either of them.

"So, where exactly is this...Magic donut salesperson? How far are we going to be walking? Are they even still in town so late at night?" Zatarin kept his focus on Karia as she walked in front of him, leading them to where ever it was they are headed. He's wondering if this is just another one of her jokes, but he'll humor her none the less. "At this hour anyone with food might draw in a monster..."

"I don't think monsters eat donuts, or do they?" Karia emitted a quick clicking sound from her throat. "It's not too far, don't worry! In fact, I think I saw someone at the end of the path on my way here! Maybe it was them."

"At the end of here? Are you sure? Most others avoid this path. They say there's a green monster in these woods...It's true, I kicked it in the face once." Zatarin cackled and darted off ahead of Karia. "I'll beat you to the end, girl."

"What? Hey! I'm the leader, not you!" Karia ran after him as fast as her six legs would move. Even then, she was still slower. And Zatarin wasn't even running at full speed.

Zatarin glanced back at Karia and grinned widely. "Ha, too slow!" Zatarin slammed into a tree and he was stopped dead in his tracks. "I-I meant to do that." Zatarin backed away from the tree and slapped it before deciding to walk the rest of the way. That hurt more than he would let on, he only grumbled to himself in agitation.

Karia couldn't help but let out a snicker as she passed him by. She ended up reaching the paths end before Zatarin did. She walked out of his field of vision but yelled out after a moment. "Over here, Horsey!"

"HORSEY?!" Zatarin speeds up again to reach Karia faster, and when he did reach her he bent down to glare at her closely. "Do not call me that." Zatarin's gaze left Karia when he saw a cloaked cat staring at him from behind a cart. "Uh, right. Good da- night?" Zatarin stood up properly.

Karia only rolled her eyes when Zatarin snapped at her. She instead focused her attention on the cart. She peeked inside of it in curiosity but a blanket hid anything within. "So, are you the one with the magic donuts?" She questioned the cat.

The cat only laughed lightly at Karia's question. "Is that what we're calling them? Well, call them as you will." The cat smiled before reaching her paw out to grasp the blanket and pull it back. Odd chirping and scurries were heard as the blanket was pulled away.

Karia's eyes lit up with fascination. Inside the cart is what looked like four small dinosaurs...But they were donuts? "What are they?"

"They're Doughnasaurs." The cat replied calmly. "As for if they are magic, that is up to you to decide. I only have the four left."

Zatarin approached the cart. He looked down at the creatures inside with complete confusion written on his face. "What is this black magic? What have you done to them? Please don't tell me people eat the poor things."

The cat only laughed again and placed her paws together. "Black magic? They look a bit too friendly for that, no? As for if you eat them, that's up to the buyer. Are you a buyer?"

Karia squealed for a moment then backed away from the cart. "I, uh, I didn't bring any money." Karia looked up at Zatarin and frowned. "Do you actually feel bad for them?"

Zatarin looked down at Karia before looking back in the cart. "I...How much are they?" Zatarin looked to the cat now.

The cat's eyes lit up with expectation when he asked. "Well, based on the exact varieties left...Hm, all four together would be one million furcash."

"DAMN LADY, WHAT'S WITH THE-" Zatarin coughed. "I mean, are you sure you can't go lower? That's a bit much for a pet that will likely mold..." Zatarin grabbed his bag from his back and held it tightly in his paws.

Karia looked stunned to hear that price. She stared at the cat like she was crazy. "Zatarin, how much do you even have? I've never seen that much money, I think we're going to have to forget it."

The cat sighed lightly but smiled at the two. "Sorry but I refuse to go lower, take it or leave it." Clearly, this cat had her mindset, there would be no changing her mind.

"Let's just go, okay?" Karia nudged at Zatarin's leg but he pushed her away gently.

"No, I'll buy them. You don't expect all coins, right? Even I can't carry that much weight." Zatarin reached into his bag and pulled out a handful of furdollars. Each one had varying amounts on them. He counted them out before putting a few back and handing the rest to the cat.

"Zatarin, are you secretly rich?! Why are you even carrying all of that?!" Karia yelled at Zatarin and flailed her arms. She can't even believe what she's witnessing.

The cat gleefully took the money from his paws and counted it for herself. "Hmm, yes, that's indeed enough! They're all yours then, mister...Ah, Zatarin, was it?"

Zatarin tried to keep a blank expression when Karia started freaking out. "Well, you'd be surprised how much profit there is in killing monsters...Do blacksmiths not make much?" Zatarin gave Karia a quick glance before nodding to the cat. Zatarin then grabbed the wiggling Doughnasaurs. There were rather sticky, he hated how they felt. "I shall take my leave then, I hope you make good use of all that, stranger." Zatarin shoved the Doughnasaurs into his bag and they struggled from within. He then began walking off, though not towards his house.

Karia waved goodbye to the cat before going after Zatarin. "Zatarin, where are you going? What are you going to do with them? Why didn't you tell me you had so much money? O-oh, and uh, I don't get many customers...So, you know."

"Hmm, no good. I'll have to pay you extra when I need your assistance. What shall I do with them indeed. A creature like this...It can't live long this way." Zatarin approached a fountain that was just a ways off. It was there that he let the sticky little dinosaurs free. They skittered about happily now that they were freed.

"Extra? Why? You don't need to pity me." Karia stopped near the fountain and watched the small dough creatures as they moved about. She smiled slightly at them. "Are you...Leaving them here? Why are we at the fountain?"

Zatarin gazed at the fountain, the water was trickling weakly from a worn serpent statue. "I do not believe these creatures were always this way. I am not magic, Karia. I can't help them if so. But I know someone who might be able to."

"And...That someone is at this fountain, or?" Karia slowly looked around the area as if expecting something. Upon seeing nothing, she looked back at the fountain.

Zatarin reached a paw out towards the fountain and held it there, letting the water trickle down his paw. He then took a deep breath. "Can you look at them, Nuvo? There's nothing I can do, you know I wouldn't ask you otherwise."

"Nuvo?" Karia questioned who Zatarin was talking to. She looked at him and then back at the fountain. The statue began to sparkle with light and a glowing, serpent-like figure emerged from it. They seemed to be made of light at first glance, but blue eyes peered out from the glow and they sprawled their four wings out. This was the one he called Nuvo, it seemed. Karia stepped back in awe of the glowing creature. "Zatarin, what is that?"

Nuvo floated over to Karia and stared at her. When Nuvo spoke, they sounded like two. "I am Nuvo, why is it I have been called on?" They inquired.

Zatarin cleared his throat to get their attention away from Karia. "These four creatures, I believe they have been transformed in to, well, food. Can you help them if so?"

Nuvo looked at Zatarin before looking to the Doughnasaurs. They flew to them and wrapped their tail around them before nodding. "Yes, this is not who they really are, but you might not like seeing what they are. Are you okay with that?" Nuvo asked Zatarin.

Zatarin thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Do as you must, I wanted to rescue them after all." Karia walked over to Zatarin to watch what Nuvo would do.

Nuvo nodded back and the Doughnasaurs began to glow with light. And with that, Nuvo vanished. Karia and Zatarin both inched closer to see what would become of the little creatures. Their figures shifted shape, and the light faded away. They were...Harbingers?! Small ones, that is. Each one had a color and patterns to match what they looked like before. A usually menacing beast, in mini form! Karia stared at them with big gleeful eyes but Zatarin backed away in shock. "I-I helped save Harbingers!? Those can't stay here. No."

Karia ignored him and scooped up the little monsters. They all made tiny squeak noises and wiggled in her grasp. "Aww, come on. they're cute! And tiny! We can raise them in town until they are bigger."

"This is what I get for trying to be nice. Okay, they can stay. But if they start getting rowdy they are out! Got it?"

"Got it!" Karia giggled and the Harbingers all squeaked louder. Let's hope this doesn't end in a mess later...