(Forest) Failing to make contact

[Henry Boggleworth]

In the good old days Boggleworth had willingly wandered about the forest, having to pluck up his courage first of course, but he'd rarely gone in alone, sure he'd patrolled the boundary as a prefect, but he hadn't delved very far in. Yet now he had to; for deep in the forest was where the Rogues dwelled. Beyond the grasping hands of the Ministry they had made their home; one that was constantly on the move to avoid detection, and the inevitable traps laid for them.

Boggleworth had to make contact with an old friend, who was now working deep undercover, he'd been his mentor as he'd left school, taken him under his wing and shown him how he worked, Boggleworth had lapped up the advice eagerly, knowing that such helpful tips would help him save his neck; getting back to Grace in one piece was a major drive.
Cattrim Rallon had been the "old hand" as Boggleworth would call him, that had shown him the ropes, and done a personal favour for him too. Now Boggleworth was repaying the favour; by delivering him his latest orders. He knew Catt would love to see a familar face, one that he himself had taught and led.

So it was that Boggleworth had flown on his old broom, he'd been buffeted about by the howling winds something awful, and had found it impossible to pierce the heavy tree cover without a number of scratches. Landing awkwardly Boggleworth picked himself up out of the bracken, finding a twig jabbed into his ribs. "Not the safest landing," he muttered wryly, dusting himself off and pulling leaves and twigs from his hair.

Stretching Boggleworth loosely held his broom in one hand, flicking his wand into his other hand. Prepared he set off into the night, ducking overhanging branches and jumping over sprawling roots. After a time of walking he heard a distant sound, a growling increasing in fervour to a snarling. Quickening his pace, he heard the heavy footfalls of something following him, looking all about for a way out he realised there was none, the only way was up. Clambering up the nearest tree, he scrambled upwards towards the top of the treeline to set off on his broom was more, but stopped as the noise suddenly ceased. Looking down from his perch he saw nothing, thinking it was just his imagination he slipped back down, landing heavily. Suddenly something knocked him from behind, he lost his footing crashing to the ground.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

((Great to see Bog back ;D I'll post if that's ok, if not, then I'll delete. Let me know!))

There had been a creature lurking in the forest that the Ministry had set free that would be searching for Rogues. It was trained on their smell and their smell only, since they had been in many skirmishes before and lost pieces of clothing or just their general smell, the Ministry was now able to track them via this beast.

It wasn't particularly foul looking, but it wasn't cute either. It was about the size of a cougar, shape of a dog yet as agile as a cat. It had a longish snout that it used to sniff them out and deadly claws that could be used to cling to trees, obviously where the Rogues, like himself, travelled mostly and that was where he found himself now. He was travelling quickly through the trees in his tiger Animagus form, for he knew in a physical battle he was far more intimidating an opponent.

He was bulky, but he had his feline grace mixed with pure power and a keen human mind to back that up made his trip through the trees quite enjoyable. He leapt from branch to branch easily, using his keener sense of smell to smell the creature. His heightened night vision came in hand, for he often found the tree limbs cut deeply, a sign the creature was there, then he heard the crash of a wizard, noticable as there was also a crashing sound of a broom.

Why would a wizard try and fly through the thickest of trees? Addis thought to himself as he stopped, but as he did so he saw the creature before him. He stopped, saw it turn and saw it snarl at him, baring rows of razor sharp teeth. He bared his own teeth and snarled, running forward and leaping at the creature.

They tumbled together and crashed into the ground, Addis quickly leaping to his feet and lashing out at the creature with furious swipes of his claws, stunning the creature. He knew it could be bested right here and now, so he did just that. He lunged forward, ensaring the creature in his jaws by the neck and sinking his teeth into the creatures neck, snapping the neck and killing the creature quickly.

He was lucky that the tiger didn't have a strong sense of taste, the creature's blood was nasty. He shapeshifted back to his human form to find a large spring of pain erupt down his side. He looked and saw three long gashes running the length of his body there and with a sigh, he ripped his robes and shirt off and saw that they were deep and bleeding profusely. Using his wand he stopped the bleeding and healed the wounds as best as he could, though the still seeped with blood.

He kneeled down and rested for a moment before a grown ws heard nearby. Without caring for who it was, Addis immediately leapt to his feet and stumbled over, kneeling down and pulling off bark and leaves off the person, revealing the face.

Addis peered down and his eyes widened. Staring down at the person revealed it to be Henry Boggleworth.

'Boggleworth?' Addis said, standing and helping the young lad up, despite his own pain. Addis forgot to change his form back to Octavious and now he stood before his former Hufflepuff student as himself, shirtless and bloody, but himself. 'Why're you here?'

[Henry Boggleworth]

(ooc hehe thanks, course it's fine for you to reply, it helps its a great reply too!)

Landing heavily, face down in the dirt, Boggleworth tried to shake his advesary off, but to no avail. Winded and held by the scrabbling creature holding down his shoulders, he squirmed beneath it, reaching out to grab his wand that had been flung from his grasp on impact. Fingers nearly able to grasp his only weapon, the creature slashed visciously at his wrists, making him recoil in shock and pain.

Luckily fate, or rather an old friend was there to save Boggleworth, or he would probably have fallen there and then.

The beast's weight suddenly left his back, and as Boggleworth lay there groaning, and breathing deep, he listened avidly to the raging skirmish, clearly something had come to his aid; whatever it was wasn't human though; little did he know. Recovering from beign winded on impact he heard footsteps approach, wondering where on earth they had come from as he was shaken and helped aloft, Boggleworth looked at his saviour with blurry eyes, wiping them as he tried to figure out who it was, it couldn't be.
"Professor Addis?" He cried hoarsely, near backing away in fright, "b..but you were murdered, weren't you?" He asked suspiciously, he didn't want to think that Addis had simply left Boggleworth nigh on alone to face the Ministry, he had been a staunch ally; in reality his leader and favoured mentor.

The good old days came crashing back as Boggleworth fodly remembered the times in the Hufflepuff common room, he'd been a great Head of House, but more importantly he'd been willing to stand up for what he believed in, just like Boggleworth.
"I'd heard rumours of "The Ghost that Walks" but I didn't dare believe they were true." He shook his head ruefully, even going to the extent of bowing to his former Professor, unless he was still one now? No the Ministry wouldn't allow that, he was sure of it.

"But you're hurt sir," he looked grimly at his injuries, "how'd you get those?" He asked wondering if he'd encountered the thing, whatever it had actually been, too?

He'd heard the Professor's question, he still thought him his elder and better, but he wasn't sre if he should rightly tell his old teacher. But then again Boggleworth had rarely followed orders and rules at school, so why would he start now, and besides if he couldn't trust Addis then who could he trust?

"You might not like this sir, but I think they can help you see," he shrugged, "I've kinda joined the Red Rose League," He squirmed beneath the penetrating steely gaze of the professor, hoping he wouldn't hate him for it.
"They only wish to remove the corrupt elements from the Ministry, they're even thinking of allying with Rogues if it'll help, though I've no idea what they're like, I've heard all sorts of vicious rumours, and haven't met any myself."

Usually Boggleworth was determined and steadfast, even stubborn in his ways, but he did unfortunately to his mind respect his old professor too much, he'd respect his words, even if he disagreed with them. "We need to get those seen to." Boggleworth chuckled able to see humour even within the forest, "or else they'll leave some lovely scars."

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

'Of course it's me.' Addis said, feigning harshness in his tone, though his steely gaze turned into a softer one with a wide smile beaming on his face. 'In a way I was murdered and I will always remember it. I have somehow come back from the dead.' He didn't know the full truth behind it but all he knew was that he was alive and he would and had been fighting for it ever since.

Henry seemed to make a fuss over the wounds that seeped a little blood. He lifted up his arm and saw them, mighty gashes running the length of his body but they didn't really hurt that much now. 'In the fight with the creature.' Was all he said in reply.

He listened intently on what Henry was telling him, though like another Rogue, he didn't cringe at the sound of Red Rose League and Henry's joining. He had apparently met the leader once, but doubt he would recognise the man again if he ever saw him. Shaking his head with a smile, after hearing the suggestion of an alliance between the two factions, Addis looked at Henry.

'Well, all I can say is that not all the Rogues like the idea of just the corrupt pieces of the Ministry banished. Some want the Ministry totally dismantled.' Addis said, crossing his arms with a confident smirk, one that he always seemed to wear when he was around Gobien. Maybe Gobien was rubbing on him too much. 'You have never met a Rogue? How unjust of you. You're in the presence of one, boy. Remember that.'

He stepped away and bowed, though grimaced as he did so but as he stood tall once more his bearing showed he was telling the truth. 'I have never had a run in with any member of the RRL since becoming a member of the Rogues. My adventures have been tiresome and painful, though harming the Ministry has been quite fun to say the least. However, the RRL and the Rogues are at odds and I don't really understand why. At least this Rogue will accept an alliance between the two.'

He laughed at Henry's inquisition on needing care for his wounds. 'I'll just see the school nurse when I return to the castle...' He said, drifting off when he realised that Henry may not know fully. He explained everything to the young man, a smile appearing on his face. 'So you see, the best place to hide is right under their nose. As a Professor I have the ability to find out information that benefits the Rogues, like patrol listings and whatnot.'