Identifying the target.
Nobody ever said catching a person was easy.
Even the Mounties don't always get their man, though to give them credit, they do put forth a game attempt.
When you're trying to catch a person who is magical and has the talent of becoming an animal, well... That just compounds things even more.
A truism, if the person trying to catch their intended quarry was standard-issue human.
Rabastan was not standard-issue human.
He was born magical. Came from a magical family. Was taught magic at a school for witches and wizards. Learned what he needed to know under some of the worst people the magical community could produce.
Was made a werewolf thanks to his brother's plan to assassinate Rabastan using other werewolves.
Was given a means of imitating Animagi by means of an enchanted ring that, when activated, would bring forth a pre-selected animal form.
So far all he had in that ring was a horse and a swallow alongside the wolf, and neither shape was really condusive to tracking another person.
That left the wolf. And Rabastan to shudder, because he knew he'd have to dip into his rationed-out supply of wolfsbane to use it safely.
Lives were at stake.
He'd have to become a wolf if he wanted to track down his quarry.
Leaving a note for Arianrhod telling her briefly his plans he stood in the place the creature was last seen, mentally steeling himself against what he knew he had to do to find who or what he was looking for. He'd already checked for traces of the animal and found tracks and a few hairs.
Hairs. There should be scent on them any animal can identify. Then I won't need to be a wolf.
Still, he had a vial of wolfsbane just in case. He was not taking chances.
Horse. Birds can't smell.
He set down the hairs next to the other animal spoor the witch or wizard had left behind and shfted to horse-
-and let out a frightened scream as the scent entered his nose.
It was a predator species, his instincts told him.
Quieting his animal mind he gave another sniff, then proceeded to pick up the trail to wherever its source was.
Fifteen minutes later, the source was found, and a very familiar scent was detected.
It smelled a lot like a rat. A rat and a man.
Sniff a little more; it smells like... Like...
Rodolphus!
He was after ... Rodolphus?
No...
Rodolphus wasn't an Animagus! He'd have known! And Rodolphus had no particular desire to become an animal unless...
...unless he thought it would help him in some way.
Now he knew who his quarry was, he noted as he changed back.
He was after Rodolphus.
But what was Rodolphus after?
Or who?
Even the Mounties don't always get their man, though to give them credit, they do put forth a game attempt.
When you're trying to catch a person who is magical and has the talent of becoming an animal, well... That just compounds things even more.
A truism, if the person trying to catch their intended quarry was standard-issue human.
Rabastan was not standard-issue human.
He was born magical. Came from a magical family. Was taught magic at a school for witches and wizards. Learned what he needed to know under some of the worst people the magical community could produce.
Was made a werewolf thanks to his brother's plan to assassinate Rabastan using other werewolves.
Was given a means of imitating Animagi by means of an enchanted ring that, when activated, would bring forth a pre-selected animal form.
So far all he had in that ring was a horse and a swallow alongside the wolf, and neither shape was really condusive to tracking another person.
That left the wolf. And Rabastan to shudder, because he knew he'd have to dip into his rationed-out supply of wolfsbane to use it safely.
Lives were at stake.
He'd have to become a wolf if he wanted to track down his quarry.
Leaving a note for Arianrhod telling her briefly his plans he stood in the place the creature was last seen, mentally steeling himself against what he knew he had to do to find who or what he was looking for. He'd already checked for traces of the animal and found tracks and a few hairs.
Hairs. There should be scent on them any animal can identify. Then I won't need to be a wolf.
Still, he had a vial of wolfsbane just in case. He was not taking chances.
Horse. Birds can't smell.
He set down the hairs next to the other animal spoor the witch or wizard had left behind and shfted to horse-
-and let out a frightened scream as the scent entered his nose.
It was a predator species, his instincts told him.
Quieting his animal mind he gave another sniff, then proceeded to pick up the trail to wherever its source was.
Fifteen minutes later, the source was found, and a very familiar scent was detected.
It smelled a lot like a rat. A rat and a man.
Sniff a little more; it smells like... Like...
Rodolphus!
He was after ... Rodolphus?
No...
Rodolphus wasn't an Animagus! He'd have known! And Rodolphus had no particular desire to become an animal unless...
...unless he thought it would help him in some way.
Now he knew who his quarry was, he noted as he changed back.
He was after Rodolphus.
But what was Rodolphus after?
Or who?