Role-Play Posts 1

"Hey!" Ikira appeared from behind some willow branches, her light pendant glowing and lighting up the surrounding area.

Valkyrie's song wavered. Her Air Pendant sparked angrily and abruptly lost its glow. Valkyrie slumped forward gasping.

Ikira leaped down to the ground and changed back to Sorica, her pendant still glowing. "You okay?"

Valkyrie nodded slowly. "Fine." Her fist tightened as briefly she seemed to flicker between forms, becoming Kaitani and Valkyrie at the same time.

Sorica whistled for Constellation. "What are you up to?"


Valkyrie stood up. "Nothing." Her wings stiffened as again she flickered painfully between forms.

"Yeah, right," Sorica replied as Constellation appeared from behind the grove of trees.


Valkyrie glared at Sorica. "What are you up to then?"

"Killing two birds with one stone...making sure my climbing skills are sharp and trying out a new spell I discovered when looking through the Light Texts. So...what are you up to?"

Valkyrie shook her head. "I'm helping a friend for the last time."

Sorica raised an eyebrow. "What friend?"

"Starbright."


"She's a Dog/Cat! Now if you don't mind I have to go."

"Whoa...don't leave. Did I hear you correctly...? A dog/cat?"

"How'd you come across Starbright?"

Valkyrie's form wavered again and she flinched. "Enough questions CATCH!" She grabbed her Air Pendent and yanked it free, tossing it at Sorica. "Veil now!" Shrieking a pure white unicorn charged from the bushes and darted in front of Valkyrie. Valkyrie turned and sprinted into the trees.

Tripping over a root, Sorica backed up and fell on her back with a stabbing pain from a sharp object puncturing her flesh. "Ow...! Wait! Help!"

Valkyrie shrieked as a dagger pain tore through her chest. "Veil help her I cannot!" She staggered forward and ran. Veil dipped her head to Sorica and lightly touched her horn to the gash, healing it.

Sorica looked up at the unicorn. "You didn't have to scare me," she complained. She rubbed
her back. "Hey! The stupid sharp thing is still there! Oh...one last thing...can you tell me what Valkyrie is up to?"

Veil tossed her head then nudged Valkyrie's Air pendant where it was lying on the ground with one hoof.

Sorica reached for the pendant but she couldn't...the pain in her back was blinding. "Can't...reach it...Veil...can you get whatever is still stuck in my back out? You healed it into my back."

Veil tossed her head again and stretched forward, grabbing the sharp object she yanked it free, simultaneously healing the resulting wound.

Soca reaves for he pendant again but still couldn't get it...there was still pain where she had been impaled. "Thanks. But, naturally, I can't speak unicorn so I can't undErstand Ou by your probably talking bout how much of idiot I am. Go ahead...you can say it."
Constellation let out a griffin-like laugh.
"Hey! Constellation, that's not funny!"
Sure it was. You called yourself an idiot.

Veil shook her head, reaching down she picked up the Pendent between her teeth. It glowed with a sickly looking light.

"Veil, I don't speak unicorn. What are you trying to tell me?"
That you're an idiot. Constellation commented.
"Shut up. Your worse than Magnet."

Veil dipped her head, holding the pendent out to Sorica.

"What am I supposed to do with it?"
Hold it, you ding dong.

Veil nodded and held the pendant out farther.

Sorica took the pendant from Veil. "Now what?"
Constellation looked at Veil. Travel?

Can griffins and unicorns understand each other?

I guess so.

Veil tossed her head. "Can you understand me now?"

Veil reared. "Yes you! I can't believe you didn't notice! Valkyrie's dying!"

"I was telling you I can't speak unicorn. It only just hit me that Constellation can understand you. Why didn't Valkyrie tell me she was dying?"

Veil landed on all fours and dropped her head. "She didn't want you to stop her from leaving the glade or you to come after her, leaving Starbright and me alone." As Veil spoke Valkyrie's pendant sparked again and cracked, small threads spinning out over the design.

Constellation muttered something under her breath and started laughing.

Veil dipped her head. "it might be too late. You noticed how she couldn't keep her form?"

Mali padded through the tall grass surrounding the barn. She heard a rustle in the bushes and whirling around, pounced.

"Hey! Watch the claws!" Sunlight complained. "I was just following you. Now, what's up?"

Mali jumped back. "Oh sorry I thought you were a mouse. Have you seen Diamondfang lately?"

"I think he was looking for mice behind the chicken coop. Why?"

Mali spun around. "I saw him not a minute ago down by the pond and before that he was sleeping near the house!"

"Then who's the other sane? One of his feminine friends perhaps? You know how he is with the females."

Mali shook her head. "He's the only Rattlesnake allowed around the farm the rest are in the fields!"

"He's always looking around for a female snake to spend the night with...that's why he's in the fields a lot. He wants to pass on his 'great' genetics. His feminine special visitors are allowed."

Mali nodded. "I know well there is one way to find out."

"What?"

"Diamondscale has a patch of light scales at the back of his neck that's how he got his name remember?"

"Right...maybe we've been seeing one off his numerous offspring."

Another rustle in the grass. Mali whipped around and pounced. "OW!" She dragged a Rattlesnake out of the grass. "Here's one of them now!"

"Who is it?"

Mali pinned the snake down. "Apparently it's Diamondscale. See the light scales there but he bit me so it can't be him."

"It's one of his offspring."

Mali shook her head. "Can't be aside from the light patch of scales Diamondscale has a scar on his back from when an owl tried to eat him for lunch." She indicated a quarter inch scar that ran across the snakes back.

"Diamondscale doesn't bite cats...one of his sons has a similar scar and has a brown patch of scales under his mouth. See?" She indicated the brown patch.

The young snake spat and hissed, wriggling violently. "I wouldn't bite either but I wasn't sure if you were you."
Sunlight laughed. "We're the only ones that look like us. Now, which one are you again?"

The snake twisted free. "Daggerfang. Do you know where my father is?"
"No...we were actually looking for him. He's probably hunting for desireable females."

Daggerfang shook his head. "No those are copies he's vanished."

"Copies?"

Daggerfang nodded. "Yes can't you tell they are him but not him." Mali stepped forward her eyes narrowed. "Open your mouth." She ordered.

"You mean these are all just his offspring?"

Daggerfang shook his head. "No they are him but not." Rainbowlily broke it. "That's not Daggerfang."
"I'm confused. Please explain."

Mali nodded. "Remember one of Diamondscales children had a broken fang."

"I remember, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Mali smiled. "His name was Trueyes and he could see into the heart of creatures."
"I still don't see what that has to do with anything."

Mali grinned. "Trueyes was able to see into spirits and through illusions." The snake broke in. "Those other snakes were just copies empty shells they look like my dad but were missing the spirit that made him...him." He glanced around. "Does that make sense?"

"Sort of...but what does that mean about your dad?"

Trueyes hissed. "He's gone he went missing a week earlier and then two days ago these copies started appearing."

Sunlight was taken aback. "That's not good. We should go talk to the wizard."

Trueyes hissed. "He's in town I should know he trod on my tail when leaving."

Mali shook her head. "Towns over seven miles away we could take the Coop but I don't want to leave the others undefended."

"Any other way to reach him?"

Mali shook her head. "You know he always forgets his communicator. Looks like this one is up to us."

"But where should we start?"

Trueyes grinned. "You forget my last talent I can see magic." HE raised his head and squinted around at the Farmyard.
Sunlight cocked her head. "And just how is that going to help us?"

Trueyes smiled. "Well I can tell you something powerful is going on under the stable."

"Is that good news or bad news?"

"Good and bad. Whatever is happening is happening there."

"So you think he might be there?"

Trueyes nodded. "Yes."

"Oka," Sunlight said. "But how do we get in?"
Mali bounded over to the stable and nudged the front door. "The door maybe."

"Do you know, Trueyes?"
The snake shrugged. "We could go in and look around."
"Okay." Sunlight nudged open the door to the ominously quiet barn.

Mali padded inside cautiously.

"I don't think any of the horses are in here..." She heard a neigh of protest from the back stall.

Mali yowled. "LOOK OUT!" With a neigh of rage a pink filly came charging forward, blue eyes wild.
"What spooked her?" Sunlight dove out of the way.

Mali yelped as Rosebud just missed hitting her with a sharp hoof. "I don't know!"

"Rosebud! What's wrong? Got a snake in your stall?"

"Get out of there!" Trueyes yelled from the doorway. "That's not Rosebud!"
"Then who is it?"

"A Copy!"
"Who would want to make a copy of rosebud?"

Mali yelped as she jumped to the side. "The same one who is making copies of Diamondscale!"

"Trueyes, is there anyway to destroy the copies?"

Trueyes nodded. "As you would kill any other creature."

"Should we kill the copy?"

Mali lunged forward. "It's the copy or us!"

Sunlight jumped up and sun her teeth into the copy's back.

Mali bounded along the copy's back and leaped at the throat.

"Trueyes, do you have any venom...we could use it!"

Suddenly the copy staggered and crashed to the floor. Mali leaped free just in time. Trueyes was curled up next to the copy, looking smug. "Already done."

"Nice work." Let's go find out what's in that stall."
Mali padded into Rosebud's stall. "I can't see anything."

"Did you check in all possible hiding places...I think there's a hold in the floor where she has a stash of her favorite things."

Trueyes slithered up behind them. "There's a tunnel in the wall behind that heap of straw."

"Ah ha! I knew there was an entrance hidden in here!"

Mali started digging at the straw. "Can you give me a paw here?"

"Sure." Sunlight started digging. "gee! When was this last cleaned out?"

Mali clawed harder. "No idea."

Sunlight pulled out a huge chunk of straw. "Well...there's the hole."

Trueyes nodded. "I can see strong magic beyond."

"I don't suppose that's a good thing."

Mali slipped into the hole. "No but we have to find out what's going on."

"Be careful...wait for me!" Sunlight squeezed into the hole after her.

Mali slunk down the small tunnel. "Can you smell something burning?"

"Yes...I wonder why."

Mali peered out the end of the tunnel. "I can see Rosebud and Diamondscale they're trapped in glowing spheres of light!"

"We need to free them."

"Magic?"

Trueyes nodded. "That might work but first we have to get past the
Trueyes flicked his tail. "You could try cloaking yourselves and sneaking past."

"I'm not very good at that kind of magic..."

Trueyes shuddered. "Then we'll have to fight."

Sunlight smiled. "Finally! Something I'm good at.!"
Trueyes sprang forward suddenly, burying his fangs into first Mali then Sunset's leg.
Sunlight sprang into the magic...fighting naturally. "What rate you guys standing around for?"

Mali lunged forward, Trueyes by her side. "LETS GET THEM!"

"Whoo hoo!"

Mali slashed through two copies at once, Trueyes sank his fangs into six more.

Sunlight bit into the throat of a copy of Rosebud. "I hope the copies stop coming!"

Mali leaped over a copy of Diamondscale, then landed on top of it breaking it's spine. "So do I!"
She gazed from where they were coming from leaping on another copy of diamond scales. "I think that's the last wave."

"You are mistaken." A sinister voice echoed from the shadows. "They will keep coming even when your friends are gone."

"What was that?" Sunlight's fur puffed up.

Mali drew back, her own fur standing on end. "Something evil."
Come out you sack of bones!"

From the shadows stepped a slender black cat. Well black except for the fact he had a gray soul mark on his forehead and a gleaming skeleton displayed through his fur.

Sunlight looked at Mali. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Trueyes?" She called to check in with the snake.

"Right here." The cat hissed. He lifted his paw to show Trueyes lying still beneath him.

Sunlight jumped at the cat. "You leave him alone!" she hissed.

The cat smiled and closed his eyes. Instantly another wave of copies this time of Trueyes appeared before him.
Sunlight hissed and slashed at the copies.

Mali spun forward, whipping up a mini tornado to send the copies flying.

Sunlight lunged at the other cat, biting at his throat.

The skeleton cat stepped back, holding out his paw. A brilliant bubble shot out of his paw and surrounded Sunlight.

"I hate bubbles." Her claw shone and she poked it and it popped.

The cat drew back. "What!"

Sunlight grinned. "Back at ya." She extend her claws. "That's what your going to get if you keep messing with my friends."

"Not so. I know your magic."

The cat grinned. "Do you the more copies I make the more ghost-like your friends grow until they vanish from existence."

"you know that I know how to defeat it...I just didn't remember til now. We've met before in a past life."

Mali nodded. "I have as well."

"Exactly. You know what the shining claws mean for your life."

The black cat drew back. "Yes." He hissed.

"It means your final death."

Mali shook her head. "No if you kill him everyone under his power will die!"
"I know the way around that."

Mali shot her friend a glance. "How?"

"I'll explain later."

Mali unsheathed her claws. "First we shred this cat?"

"Not quite..." Sunlight used a bit of magic to snap his control over the animals. "Now shred him!"

Mali lunged forward. "With pleasure!"

Sunlight helped her shred him with loads of success.

Mali jumped back. "That I hope is a lesson to you!"
"What she said!"

The skeleton cat trembled, pressing himself flat to the shadows. "Yes." He hissed.

"Come back and the golden claws will kill you."

The skeleton cat vanished in a puff of darkness.

"Now that's taken care off."

Trueyes rolled over. "The copies are vanishing."

"About time."

Mali bounded over to Rosy and Diamondscale. "Good they're okay."

"Well I'm glad."

Mali shuddered looking around. "Let's get out of this creepy place. It could collapse on us and then it would take a week to dig out."

"Gladly."

Mali bounded over to the tunnel and started to crawl along it.

Well...now that that's taken care off, want to bask in the sun for a couple of hours?"

Mali nodded. "Sure."

"I could use hours of that..."

Trueyes nodded. "Me as well but I think I'll go see if the Chickens have a few spare eggs. I'm hungry."

"You go do that....I'm sleepy..."

Mali nodded. "Me too."

Sunlight yawned and went to sleep.

Mali shut her eyes and dozed off. Five minutes later she was woken up by Trueye who came fleeing past. "Do not go in the Hen house!" He yelped. "The hens are having another wild Eggfight!"

"I hope we don't have to clean it up."

Mali grinned. "Who said anything about cleaning! We could join!"

"That's true but the hens never have to clean it up."

Mali grinned. "The other farm animals usually do that if not I'll use some water magic to clean it away."

"Oh all right...let's go join in."

Mali grinned. "YES!" She went bounding toward the Henhouse."

The pair walked into the hen house to immediately be splattered with eggs.,"

Mali sputtered as she spat egg out of her mouth. "OH that's it! This mean war!"

Sunlight chucked an egg. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Mali grabbed an egg and threw it at Sunlight. "Take that!"

"Het!" Sunlight chucked an egg at Mali.

Mali ducked. "Missed me!"

Sunlight threw another egg and it hit Mali. "Ha!"

Mali jumped into the air and used her magic to levitate six eggs into the air. In rapid succession she hit them at Sunlight. "Take that!"

Sunlight whistled and signaled at the hens. They turned to her and threw the eggs at Mali. "Ha!"

Mail leaped and dodged, trying to avoid the hail of eggs. "Trueyes can you give me some help here!"

Sunlight let out a mock evil laugh.

Mali saw her chance, scooping up an egg she threw it into Sunlight's mouth. "HA HA!"

Sunlight spit the egg out and cracked an egg one Mali's back and it hit her with a splat. "HA HA HA!"

Mali bounded forward, scooping up a nest she flung it onto Mali's head. "HA HA HA HA!"

"Hens attack, Mali with your weapon arsenal!" The hens flung everything toward Mali.

Trueyes slither forward. "Attack my brothers!" He yelled. Seven other snakes popped up and began returning the hail.

"Hey! No poison!" Sunlight narrowly missed a snake.

Trueyes grinned, opening his mouth he spat an egg at Mali.

"Rapid fire, hens!"

Mali flung eggs at Starlight. "Same request!" She yelled.

"Man the catapults!"

Mali bounded onto the rafters and spilled eggs down onto Sunlight.

"The hens catapulted eggs to the rafters...right at Mali.

Mali yelped. Jumping off the rafter she bounced off the wall and crashed into Sunlight. Sending them both into a nest.

"Hey! I'm not a cushion!"

Mali smashed an egg onto Sunlight's head. "You are when i need a place to land!"

"Not if I can help it!"

Mali leaped backward. Scooping up a nest she threw it into Sunlight's face.

"Have you had your fun yet?"

Mali sat down. "Yep." She purred.

"Let's get out of here so we don't have to clean up afterwards." Sunlight ducked out of the hen house.

Mali slipped out after her.

"I don't know about you but an egg fight makes me hungry."

Mali nodded. "Me too. Want to catch some mice?"

Mali grinned. "There should be some behind the barn. Some grain was spilled there earlier."

"Eagle and Hawk were responsible."

Mali shook her head. "They should know better then to fool around with that stuff. The Magician could get angry."

"That's what I told them. They never cleaned it up."

Mali shrugged. "At least the mice we leave will."

"True dat."

Mali held up a paw. "Shh we'll scare them away."

"I'm not that stupid to scare away a potential meal," she whispered in Mali's ear.

Mali grinned. "Ready, set, POUNCE!" She lunged out of the bush. Landing in just the right spot to snare a mouse and block the retreat of the others.

Sunlight pounced on a juicy looking mouse. "Dinner is served."

Mali bit down on her mouse. "Yes and it's great."

Sunlight murmured in assent.

Mali finished the rest of her mouse in silence.

Sunlight swallowed the last morsel. "Do you thing the Wizard is home yet?"

"Maybe."

"Want to go see? He needs to know about the copies."
Mali nodded. "Alright."

Sunset's ears twitched. "He's home."

"I know, you can hear him cursing a mile away. He must have stepped in a broken egg or something."

"Let's hope he doesn't inadvertently cast a spell."

"I doubt he will. But if he does I hope it's not the one to turn things into Chickens."

Sunlight grimaced.

"So who's going to find out?"

"About what?"

"If the Magician is casting spells or not."

"Let's hope he's not."

Mali climbed to her paws. "Well lets go find out."

"Okay. Be aware of flying hexes and swears!"

Mali slid out from behind the building and crept across the yard.

Sunlight filed after Mali.

Mal's ears twitched as she heard a door slam. "We're going the wrong way. He's in the house now. Must have accidentally teleported himself onto the front step."

"Well...I guess we should use the cat flap...stupid things."

Mali shuddered. "I got my tail caught in it last week. I thought a snake had gone rogue and grabbed it for a snack."

Sunlight cracked up. "That's funny."

"Not for me."

"Don't worry...I have to."

Mali slid through the cat flap. "Are you coming?"

"Of course..." Sunlight tried to slip through the cat flap. "Great! I'm stuck again!"

Mali grinned. She padded forward and pushed the cat flap back open. "Come on."
Sunlight tried to pull herself in. "I'm still stuck!"

Mali sighed and with a quick word blasted the cat flap across the yard. "There."

Sunlight scoffed at the broken cat flap. "The Wizard needs to make that good-for-nothing think bigger."

"Or next time I get stuck I might blow down the whole door."

"Exactly."

Mali slipped into the next room. "Not here."

"Then, where is he?"

Mal's ears twitched. "Probably in his study. No cats allowed there but rules are made to be broken."

"What are you two puffballs up to now?" asked Snowdrop as she walked up to the two cats "Wait,wait,wait you're talkin' about the old wiz aren't you" "You guys if you want to go in there I'll let you in if you pay up. One fish each"said Snowdrop
Mal hissed, her fur rising along her spine. "Aside Snowdrop!" She growled. "We have important news to tell the Wizard and I'm not going to pay you one fish scale to do so!"

Mali's tail shot straight up and she padded around Snowdrop, her claws scratching on the stone.

snowdrop jumped in front of her."I said pay up puffy" she snarled

Mali yowled in outrage. "I SAID NO BACK OFF SNOWDROP I AM IN NO MOOD FOR THIS!"

snowdrop looked at her and said fine but i have valueble info from far away that you might want to hear.

Mali snorted. "Such as. WE know about the chickens egg fight in the coop already."

Mali leaped to her paws. "Enough with the kit talk!" She hissed.

Sunlight looked at MAli. "What are you trying to tell us?"

Mali leaped to her paws and bounded out of the bark back toward the farmhouse. "I don't known what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on. Kits are a great thing."

"When you don't have to fight of Maniacs like my brother and Chocolate every day."

"When I I had Eagle and Hawk, magical birds decided to dive bomb the farm. THat was just during the kitting."

Mali half laughed. "I remember. I helped fight them off."

"That was not fun. a certain eagle and hawk almost had a nonday snack."

Mali slipped back into the farmhouse. "Yeah me!"

"So...how many kits are you expecting?"

Mali shrugged. "I can't tell maybe four or five."

"That's a pawful."

"Tell me about it. Now should we tell the wizard about Shadow Cat or not."

"Yes. Don't mind Snowdrop. SHe doesn't know anything about kitting."

Mali placed her paw on the door again, repelling the spark this time. "He really should get a better defense on this door."

"That's what I thought."

Mali shoved the door open and padded inside.

Sunlight followed her.

Mali looked around. "you see him?"
"He's in his study."

"This is his study!"

"I'm right here." The Wizard appeared from behind a bookcase.

Mali dipped her head. "Sorry to disturb you but we have some unsettling news."

"And that is?"

"We found a cat who has access to Dark Powers. We chased him off but he could be back."

he killed his mate and two of her kits

Mali shook her head. "Wrong cat. This one has no family."

what about your bro puffy is it him

Mali growled. "He is my brother. Or he once was."

do you wanna have some dinner by the lake? snowdrop asked

Mali nodded. "Okay."

do wat some fish? she asked

"Yes."
there is one pool of sunfish over there if you like sunfish that is

"It's okay."

get what ever you want

Mali hooked a paw into the water and caught a Sunfish. Throwing it onto the bank.

nice catch

Mali dipped her head. "Thank you."

Sunlight came down from the house. "Hey! The Wizard wants to know the name of the cat, Mali. He is going to put up an enchantment to keep that cat out."

"His name is Shatter, Darkness or Death."

"Okay." Sunlight transmitted the reply to the Wizard.

"But it could be something else..."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know his true name. He always calls himself something different every time I see him."

"Ah..." Sunlight transmitted the info.

Mali sat down. "It would be bad if he came back."
"That's why the Wizard wants to put up wards."

Mali nodded. "I know I'm just saying."
Sunlight transmitted that to the Wizard. "He'll do what he can."

Mali shuddered slightly. "He always turns up at the worst times. And always predictably goes after my friends."

"Don't all bad guys do that?"

"It's worse when the bad guy is your brother." Mali muttered softly.

I suppose so.

Mali glanced over at Sunlight. "I didn't mean for you to hear that"

Amira opened her eyes and yelped, she was dangling upside down. Two wings were wrapped around her, making it impossible for her to move. "Maribet!" She yelled. "Let me down the small black bat started guiltily and opened her wings. Amira plummeted headfirst toward the ground. "NOT LIKE THAT!" She shrieked, hurtling earthward. Maribet let go of the branch and dove after her, pulling up she grabbed Amira by the legs and soared upward. Amira shrieked as Maribet tossed her into the air and caught her by the shoulders. "Put me down!" She yelped. Maribet drifted to earth like a fallen leaf, setting Amira lightly down on her feet.

Sammen stood there with Regn on her shoulder and Alvorlig standing behind her. "Nice, Maribet."

Amira yelped, spinning around. "When did you guys get here?"

"Ten minutes ago to watch Maribet's "magic acts'."

Amira scowled. "I've lost count of how many times I've told her not to sleep with me wrapped in her wings. I despise hanging upside down."

"But your a bat!"
Amira looked at her. "What?!"

"How can you not like hanging upside down, you are a bat."

Amira scowled. "Since when?"

Avorlig chuckled. "You and Maribet are so close it's like you both are bats."

Amira grinned. "When you live alone for seven years with no one but a bat for company you pick up a few things."

Well...Miss Bat let's get on with the day...there are things to do I'm sure."

Amira nodded. "By the way have you seen Amarte anywhere around?"

"No."

Amira shrugged. "He's probably off scrounging in a trashcan."

Alicia, guided by Relámpago, trudged over. "Actually, he's taking a nap...kind of odd for him of all rats."

Amira nodded. "Yes that is strange."

"I wonder why," Anastasia said, glaring at Trueno. "Maybe a certain female kept him up all night."

Amira raised her eyebrows. "No he was there all night. I should know I slept in the doorway."

Trueno glared back at Anastasia. She looked at Amira. "So a female did sleep with him last night."

Amira glared daggers at Anastasia. "I slept outside on the doorstep. By the time I got home last night he had fallen asleep on my bed. I should have overturned the mattress and dumped him onto the floor. But I decided not to. He hasn't been looking so good lately."

Relàmpago laughed. "So he does have a lover."

Amira snarled. "I have no idea. That rat is never around these days and I usually find him in the garbage dumps around the corner."
"Denial, denial."

Amira leaped onto Maribet's back and flew off.

"So..." Sammen said. "What were we supposed to be doing?"

Amira directed Maribet to the dump, grabbing a hamburger wrapper she chucked some rotten plums and a few eggs into it then leaped back onto Maribet's back.

"An answer is in order."

Amira flew back to the group. "Okay Maribet RELEASE!" The garbage dropped like a stone and splattered all over the others.

"What are you doing? You're not on garbage duty, are you?"

Amira grinned, wheeling away. "I am when someone teases me!"

"What does teasing have anything to do with garbage duty?"

Amira landed and leaped off Maribet's back. "No I'm not on Garbage duty."
"Then why are you messing with the dumpsters?"

Anita smiled. "Payback."

"To whom?"

"That rat over there who thought it was funny to hide a moldy apple core under my bed last week."
Sammen laughed. "That's a good one."

Amira scowled. "Not when it's covered in rotten egg. My house reeked for a week."
Sammen laughed even harder.

Amira heard a soft sound behind her and turned to see Maribet snickering behind her wing. "Not you too!"

"I didn't know Maribet had a sense of humor," Sammen joked.

Amira glared at her bat. "Unfortunately so."

"Give me some," Sammen said, holding her hand up for a high five.

Amira grinned and high fived Sammen.

"Have you finished you payback yet?" asked Alvorlig from the shadows.

Amira nodded. "Yep."

"About time. I could swim the world's oceans before you were even half way done."

Amira growled. "Maybe you should. I think some rotten egg hit you as well."

"A rotten egg? No. I'm to quick for my fur."

Amira grinned. "Then how come you have a piece of eggshell on your head?"

Alvorlig scowled at her. "Don't make fun of my fashion trends!" He took off the eggshell and hugged it to his fur.

Amira burst out laughing. "That's a first!"

"Some day, my fashion trends will be famous throughout these parts and when I'm mentioned, you'll say: 'oh! I knew that rat!'. And when I come to your town, I'll ignore you."

Just to say, Alvorlig is joking around. Razz

Amira pounced Avolig, playfully shoving him to one side. "Likewise."

Alvorlig rolled his eyes. "Like you have any worthy fashion trends."

Amira suddenly spread a pair of bat wings from her shoulders. "Like these?"
Alvorlig was taken aback but didn't show it. "Those? Why, they're quite hideous." There was a joking undertone.

Amira burst out laughing. "You think so?" She grabbed the wings and gave them a jerk. They came off and she placed them in front of her. "They took a lot of work."

"Well...they are ingenious but I still thing they're hideous...why not add more colors or a better looking structure?"

"If I had a different model then maybe I would, but that would probably ruin the function."
Alvorlig raised an eyebrow in question. "How?"

"I created them to do something specific and any changes might throw that off."

"Why?"

"I'll show you." She whistled and Maribet came swooping down over her head. Amira jumped onto her back and few higher into the air.

"And your point is?"

"This!" Amira jumped off of Maribets back. Yanking on a string attached to the wings she leveled off her fall. With a click the wings abruptly stiffened. Another part unfolding in the middle. With a yell Amira tilted the new hang glider and soared higher up into the air on a gust of wind.

"I don't get it." Alvorlig replied, stumped.

Amira tilted the Hang Glider to land. "If I added anything else it might throw off the glider so I would fall instead of fly."
"Use balance."

"Maybe." Amira grinned at Avorlig. "You want to try."
"Of course! ...but which pair of wings?"

"These." Amira dragged a larger pair out form behind a rock.

"Are you sure they're safe?"

Amira looked at Avorlig. "I'm sure. They worked on me didn't they?"

Alvorlig gave her a look. "They had better."

Amira shoved the wings forward. "Well go on."

"If you spiked these wings," Alvorlig warned. "You aren't going to like what I do to you."

"Do anything to me and you'll have Amarte to answer to. Besides you couldn't catch me if you tried"
Alvorlig stuck out his tongue. "Amarte would understand.," He paused. "Of course I can't catch you! I can't fly!"

"You could with the wings though."

"My point exactly."

Amira tossed him the wings. "So go on."

Alvorlig put them on and jumped of the cliff. "Whee...!"

Amira smiled. "The worlds first flying rat!"

Alvorlig pulled up and soared above the cliff. "Can I keep these?" He muttered to himself: "The ladies are going to love me!"

"If you even think about swiping those!" Amira yelled up at Avorlig. "You'll be very sorry"

Alvorlig looked deeply hurt and pretend to cry.

Amira half smiled. "I know you're faking it!"

"But I like these wings!"

"There for a different rat! You were my test subject!"

Oh, come on!"

Amira laughed. "Yep and apparently they work!"

"So you should let me keep them!"

"I told you they're for someone else!"

"Then make that someone a new pair and give me this one!"
"Other way around!" Amira yelled. "Do you want me to come get the wings myself or are you going to come down here?"
Sammen shouted: "Get down here, Alvorlig! Enough horsing around!"

Amira shook her head. "He's one crazy rat."

"You got that right," Sammen agreed. "Now, Alvorlig!"

Amira grabbed her hang glider and leaped into the air. "I had better guide him down. The wind seems to be picking up."

Before Amira could get into the air, the wind blew Alvorlid a little higher.

Amira shook her head. "I warned you!" She tilted the wings of her glider to catch the updraft.

"It's not my fault that the wind isn't being nice!" Alvorlig shouted.

Amira caught the updraft and flew up next Avorlig. "On my signal tilt left!"

"Yeah, sure."

"I mean it rat!"

"Okay! Okay!" ALvorlig shouted. "Take a chill pill, would ya?"

Amira shook her head. "NOW!" She tilted her wings left and slid out o the updraft.

Alvorlig copied Amira but stuck his tongue at her.

"Avorlig!" Amira growled. She grabbed the edge of one of the wings and spun it around, pointing him toward the ground.
"Hey!" Alvorlig protested. "I don't want to crashland and die!"

"You won't! GO!"

Alvorlig was furious so he stuck his tongue out at Amira. He coasted on to the cliff and tumbled forward into Relámpago and Trueno. "Thanks a lot!" he growled.

Amira landed gently and ran forward, stopping next to the three rat pile she started to unbuckle the wings from Avorlig's back. "Well you're on the ground now right?"

"With no help from you for an easy landing." Alvorlig added.

"It was that or slam muzzle first into the cliff!"

"Spunds like fun," Alvorlig replied with a bit of sarcasm.

Amira yanked the wings free and turned to Maribete. "See you later rat."

Cheela A.K.A Ginger sprinted through a subway tunnel. “I hope I get back to the main cavern in time!” She thought. “I would hate to miss the annual Giant-Rat hunt.” Suddenly the rails began to hum, Ginger looked around as she ran. From around the corner she saw the tunnel light up. “No!” She whispered. “I thought this tunnel was abandoned!” She ran faster, accessing her cheetah speed to try and get away. With a roar the train came whipping around the corner. Ginger screamed in terror, scrambling forward she struggled to stay ahead of the electricity forking along the metal rails.

Ocela swung from the ceiling swung Cheela to the ceiling. "Got you." The train sprinted past them. "You know, the humans reopened this tunnel."

Ginger dug her claws into the stone and clung to the ceiling. "You don't say." She panted.

"I've had the tunnel under surveillance for a couple days now."

Ginger nodded. "I saw you as I ran by yesterday."

"Naturally, you would...but I was hiding from humans...not bat/cats...I would have been harder to find if that were the case."

Ginger let go of the ceiling, flipped in mid-air and landed on the ground. "It was lucky you were here otherwise I'd be flat as a board right now."

We wouldn't want that."

Ginger shuddered. "Most certainly not."

"Let's get back to the dwelling then."

Ginger nodded. scaling the wall she climbed into the small tunnel. "We don't want to miss the Rat Hunt."
"It's so much fun...like we're wolves stalking deer."

Ginger looked back at Ocela, tilting her head. "Wolves?"

Note: Ginger was born in the sewer.

"Oh..sorry. They're Upland animals that are kind of like dogs...in fact, biologically, they're related. We learned about them at school one day before this happened."

Ginger nodded. "Ah." She turned and sprinted into the tunnel. "Keep up if you can!"

"Of course I can keep up...I'm part ocelot!"

Ginger laughed, speeding up. "You forget I'm part cheetah!"

"Let's run then!" Ocela took off.

Ginger sped down the tunnels, laughing she leaped onto the wall and ran sideways a few paces.

"You're amusing...wait til you fall on your head."

Ginger stepped back onto the floor and took off. "I have yet to do that!"
Ocela laughed. "You will one day."

Ginger abruptly skidded to a halt, sniffing the air she looked around. "Can you smell that?"

"YEah...it smells like sewage." Ocela wrinkled her nose.

Ginger nodded. "Yes we're right next to the sewage tunnel but it's not that it's more of an arid burning smell."

"Do you think someone found the entrance to these tunnels?"

Ginger shook her head, eyes widening. "No but the gas did!" She pointed at a cloud of white fog rolling toward them.

"That's not good...we're going to take the long way, then."

Ginger nodded. "If we can make it!" Grabbing Ocela's wrist she took off at her full speed.
"You don't have to pull off my hand!"

Ginger ran faster, dragging her friend behind her. "That gas spreads faster then you can imagine if we don't hurry it will block our escape!"

"I know!" Ocela dashed for the other tunnel which was the 'long' way.

Ginger yelped as she skidded around the corner. "TOO LATE!"

"Not so!" She took another series of turns until they reached the dwelling.

Ginger leaped back. "They're gone! The Gas already reached here!"

"Where next?"

Ginger ducked down a side tunnel. "Through here!"

"I never came across this one before."

Ginger sprinted down the tunnel. "Neither have I!"

"So you just found it now?"


Ginger pelted into another tunnel. "No I saw it yesterday remember that earth tremor we had?"

"Oh right...the tunnel must have been blocked before."

Ginger nodded. "Hurry!"

Ocela nodded and jumped into the tunnel."

Ginger dodged in and out of different tunnels. "It's like a maze down here!"

"I know...it's the unexplored section they were talking about."

Ginger skidded to a stop. "This tunnels a dead end!"

"Then take the other one at the last intersection."

Ginger turned and ran then stopped. "Oh no!" She yelled, seeing the wall of gas slowly moving toward them. "We're trapped!"

"Any other ideas?" She said with desperation. "I'm out of them."

Ginger backed up as far as she could then sprinted forward, slamming shoulder-first into the wall.

"Are you crazy?! You're going to injure yourself and I can't drag you out of here...we'll both die!"

Ginger backed up and hit the wall again. “I did not run through six tunnels just to be trapped here like a mouse.”

"Well...I'm out of ideas."

Ginger backed up as far as she could and charged forward as fast as she could, slamming into the wall at full speed.
"What are you doing?! Your going to collapse the roof of the tunnel on us!"

Ginger drew back one more time and charged forward. With a crash the wall crumbled into rubble revealing another tunnel beyond.
"I didn't know that was there!"

Ginger want sprawling onto the stones, grunting she scrambled to her paws and yelped, grabbing her shoulder as it throbbed with pain.

"Come on!" Ocela grabbed Ginger, heaved her on to her back and ran through the tunnel.

Ginger looked about. "A ladder!"

"I haven't really used one in twenty plus years!"

Ginger leaped forward and grabbed the ladder. "It's our only chance!"

"I was just reminiscing to the time when I was actually human...of course I can still climb ladders." She jumped up all the rungs.

Ginger shoved at the iron disk that covered the opening, it shifted and a beam of light sliced through the crack striking Ginger in the eyes. With a startled yelp she lost her grip on the ladder, falling back.

Ocela's eyes undialated. "Fortunately, my eyes retain a feature that allows my eyes to see in bright sunlight."

Ginger grabbed the ladder. "Mine can as well that just surprised me.

"But you've never been above ground. You were born five years after the accident."

Ginger shrugged. "I'm still part human."

"That's true..but you'e been down in this darkness your whole life...unless that gene stayed the same."

Ocela climbed out after her to see that they were in the countryside...several miles away from the city. "I remember this place...it's near the orphanage where I grew up for six years."

Ginger lunged forward pushing Ocela to one side. "LOOK OUT!" A red Station Wagon zoomed by. Ginger watched it go with a mix of fear and fascination. "What was that?"

"Some sort of car...humans use it to get around. Let's get off the road."

Ginger bounded forward into the bushes.

Ocela followed her. "We need to find the others."

Ginger nodded. "They probably fled to the Lake Cavern."
"Do you know the way back?"

Ginger shrugged. "If we get back underground maybe."

"Actually...now that I think about it, I know an entrance near Lake Cavern...it's not far from here."

Ginger looked at her. "You have been up here before?"

"Of course...this the road between the orphanage and the city."

Ginger nodded. "So where is this entrance?"
"It's about a mile from here and in the woods."

Ginger bounded forward. "Then let's go!"

"Look for an oddly red pine tree."

Ginger smiled. "We still have a ways to go yet." Suddenly a bugle sounded through the trees. Ginger stopped. "What was that?"

Ocela shrugged. "I don't know."

Ginger sniffed the air. "Can you smell dogs?"

"Dogs?"

Ginger nodded. "Yes and something else..."

"That's not good..."

Just then a panicky red furred creature shot over a small hill and flashed past them.

"What is that?"

Ginger swallowed. "A fox I think."

"Great."

Ginger leaped into the air. "And where there is a fox and dogs..."

"There's also humans, I know."

Ginger took off into the trees in the same direction as the fox. "We should probably run."

"Run!" Ocela took of in the other direction.

"This way." Ginger yelled. "There's a cave where we can shelter!"

Ocela peered into it. "I think that's the actual entrance to the Lake Cavern...se the stream flooding into it?"

Ginger nodded. "The fox went in here."

"The humans won't find us here...it's too small."

Ginger nodded. "But the dogs might."

"The dogs are too big...they're Great Danes."

Ginger sighed. "Good."
"Let's go!" She dived into the stream with a soft splash.

Ginger reached into the corner of the cave and pulled out the fox. Holding onto the dog.like creature she dove after Ocela.

Ocela swam down for several feet and finally emerged from the water. "That's a long swim to hold a breath....hey, we're in the Lake Cavern."

Ginger broke through the surface, gasping. "And there's the Clan!"

"Hurray! We found them!"

Mist whirled around and came bounding over. "Thank goodness you two are safe. Have you seen Delphineum?"

"No...I think she was following us but we told her to return to you guys before all this happened."

Mist's tail swished in panic. "She never came back!"

"Oh no!"

Ginger vaulted out of the water. "We should go look for her!"

"I agree...she could be anywhere."

Ginger nodded. "Where would she have gone."

Ocela closed her eyes and saw into her memories. She saw her near Lake Cavern. "Hurry! She's not far from here...when she saw the poisonous gases she ran to Lake Cavern but collapsed before she made it here....it was right after you arrived."

Ginger bounded out the tunnel. "We have to hurry if she has any chance of surviving!"

"Delphinum!" Ocela called.

Ginger sniffed the air. "Brinkrot!" She cursed. "All I can smell is gas!"

"Hold your breath. She's only a couple feet from here."

Ginger sneezed. "The gas is gone it's the smell that remains."

"I can see where she is through her memories...she's unconscious right now."

Ginger bounded forward. "We should hurry."
"There she is."

Ginger darted over to the young Bat/Cat. "Delphinium!"

"She can't hear you."

Ginger shot Ocela a look. "I know that."
"Then why are you calling her name?"

Ginger shrugged. "Just in case."

"Just in case what?"

Ginger flattened her ears. "Just in case she could hear me some other place."

"Oh...can she?"

Ginger nodded. "Yes."

"So what's the point of this?"

Ginger lifted Dephinium into her arms. "Keeping her alive!"

"Okay..."

Ginger staggered under Dephinium's weaight. "For someone so small she sure weighs a lot!"

"I know,right?!"

Ginger nodded. "Let's get back to Lake Cavern."

Ocela nodded and followed her back to Lake Cavern. "We found her!"

Mist whirled around and came bounding over. "Thank goodness!"

"She''ll be fine in a couple hours."

Ginger stood up, looking around. "Now what?"
"I say we should chill...that was an exhausting part of the day." Ocela sat down and curled up.

Ginger curled up as well. "The Hunts in a few hours." She said sleepily. "We have time."

"..." Ocela mumbled and fell asleep. (a couple hours later...) "Wake up, Ginger!" She shook her friend.

"Time for the hunt!"

Gniger grinned. "I'm ready."

"I wonder what we're hunting today (assuming they hunt different things)."

Ginger sharpened her claws on a spar of rock. "Probably giant rats maybe snakes or alligators. Depends on what we can find."
"I hope there's gator because I want some gator tail bites."

Ginger grinned. "I hope for rats but a gator would be good."

"I haven't had gator in awhile...in my opinion it's the best food down under (referring to the fact they they are literally, down under...in the sewers)."

Ginger nodded. "I agree." "Move out!" Mist yelled from on top of her rock. "We have to hurry!"

"What are we hunting?" Ocela asked Mist.
Mist shrugged. "We'll know when we get there."

Ocela smiled. "I hope it's gator...."

Ginger blurred past. "If you don't hurry you will never know!"

"I'd rather not run into people."

Ginger grinned. "Down here? Only we know about these caves."

"I keep remembering when we were people...I meant others."

Ginger nodded. "I won't crash into anyone but remember when we were late last time?"

"I do."
Ginger shuddered. "Caracalia Sammy and Mikey had already caught most everything."

"We got the scraps."

Ginger nodded. "No way is that happening again."

"I hope not."

Mist bounced out of the cavern. "Follow me!"

"Finally."

Ginger bounded after Mist.

Ocela bounded after the duo.

Ginger leaped to the side as a tall Bat-Cat came bounding by followed by a smaller one. "Caracalia Sammy Watch it!"

"What are you guys doing back here?"

Caracalia looked at Ocela. "Hunting just the same as you."

"I knew that, but don't you want to be upfront?"

Caracalia grinned. "That's where we're going. Keep up if you can!" She leaped off.

Ocela bounded ahead of her and skidded to a halt to avoid colliding with the rest of the group.

Mist turned around. "The tunnel leads to today's hunting ground!" She called. "Remember if one of you finds an alligator call for backup. don't try to fight it yourself. Now go have fun!"

"I hope I find a gator," Ocela muttered. "Come on, Ginger."

Ginger grinned, running past. "Way ahead of you!"

"Hey...the way you run will scare off the gator."

Ginger laughed. "If there is a gator!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you scared them off," Ocela teased.

Ginger ran forward. "Hey don't worry about that worry about getting there before my annoying siblings eat everything."
"Well let's get going...I want to eat dinner, you know."

Ginger waved from the end of the tunnel. "I'm already there!"

Ocela ran to the end. "I smell a gator!"

Ginger sniffed the air. "Hey I can as well."

"Let's go get that reptile!"

Ginger unsheathed her claws and bounded forward. "YAA!"

Ocela let out a wild battle cry and sprang at the gator.

Ginger landed on it's head and clamped her claws around it's mouth, holding it shut.

Ocela made some fighting noises and slashed at the gator's major veins. "HWA!"
Ginger sank her teeth into one of the Gator's eyes.

"Hey!" Ocela muttered through her grip on the gator. "Save an eye for me!"

Ocela's favorite parts of the gator to eat are the eyes and the tail.

Ginger let go. "Sorry." She bit into the Gators neck instead.

"Thank you...the eyeball is the best part."

Ginger slashed her claws across the Gator's throat. "I prefer the tail and the belly meat myself."

"I like the tail too...it's the best tasting meat especially if you bread it and cook it."

Ginger's reply was muffled. "We should stop dreaming about it and try to defeat this thing."
Ocela grunted and bit the gator's throat.

Ginger sank her fangs deep into the jugular vein.

Ginger grinned. "Now shall we go grab some rats?"

"Sure."

Ginger bounded off the Alligator and snatched up a rat in her mouth, biting through it's spine before it could even squeak.
Ocela grabbed a rat too. "We're going to have a feast tonight."

Ginger nodded. "Yep!" She turned and bounded over the sand.

"Hey! We have to drag this gator back, you know!"

Ginger looked back over her shoulder. "We can after the hunt is finished!"

"I thought we were...I can taste the gator tail sliding down my throat already."

Ginger shook her head. "We are finished when there is no more game." She stopped and started digging away the sand. "AH HA!"

"Then we wouldn't have anything to eat until the populations reboot."

"What we are hunting is only about a quarter of the real number." Ginger dug farther into the sand then leaped back. "I found Gator eggs!"

"YES!" Ocela squeaked, ecstatically. "THOSE ARE DELICIOUS!"

Ginger piled eggs onto the sand, pausing to slip a few into her satchel. Making sure no one saw her.

"You collect the eggs. I'll start dragging the gator's carcass towards the camp."

Ginger bounded up. "I've got then so I can help you with that."

"How are you going to carry the eggs home?"

Ginger lightly placed the eggs in the gators mouth. "That way. They'll be safe there."

"Good idea," Ocela muttered through a mouthful of gator.

Ginger grabbed the Gator by one front leg and started to rag it backwards toward Lake Cavern.

Ginger shot a smug look at Caracalia and Sammy who were staring at them in surprise.

Ocela did the same.

Ginger dragged Gator as far as the lake then let it drop. "I have someplace to go before the food cooks."
"Where? Some lover you're going to meet?" Ocela teased.

Ginger hissed. "No way!"

"Then what?"

Ginger glanced to one side. "A secret." She turned and sprinted into another tunnel.

"Oh, common. What's so secretive about this?"

Ginger heard Ocela faintly but didn't stop. She sprinted down thee more tunnels and then ducked into a small cave.

"Gin...ger..." Ocela's voice echoed down the tunnel. "Where...are ...you...? Tell...me...what...your...up...to..."

Ginger hastily shoved aside a chunk of rock and slipped into the other small cave within. With a huge effort she shoved a larger rock into place.

"Gin...ger..."

Ginger sighed and padded down the small tunnel, pushing another rock aside she stepped into a large well lit room.

"WHere...are...you...?"

Ginger half smiled. "I said it was a secret." She whispered to herself.

"Tell...me...it...can't....be...that...em...barrassing..."

Ginger half shuddered. "If you only knew." She turned and slipped into the cave. "You guys here?" She whispered.

"Gin...ger..."

There was a chorus of squeaks and a hoard of rats slid out of the shadows.

Ocela rounded a corner, following Ginger's scent. "Gin...ger..."

Ginger laughed as the rats swarmed over to her, squeaking happily. "I'm glad to see you too!"

"Gin...ger..." Ocela's voice hung in the air for a moment. "Are you in...a...cave?"

Ginger pulled open the satchel around her shoulder. "We have some new additions. A small female rat came sliding out of the bag, the four alligator eggs Ginger had saved wrapped in her tail.

"Ginger! Found you!"

Ginger yowled in shock and sprang up to the ceiling, her wings unfolding as she grabbed hold of a ledge and yanked herself into the shadows.
"I didn't know we were playing hide and seek!" Ocela teased.

Ginger stuck her head over the ledge and glared down at Ocela. "Haven't you heard to never sneak up behind a cheetah!"

Ocela shrugged and replied sarcastically. "Don't you know ocelots like to find out what the heck her favorite cheetah is up to?"

Ginger clambered down the rock wall. "And why is that? I don't follow you everywhere!"

"I'm not that interesting."

Ocela nodded.

Ginger groaned. "Of course."

"So...what are you up to?"

"Nothing important."

"Yeah, right." Ocela said dubiously.

"Tell me the whole story."

"How about No!"

"Oh, come on. It can't be that embarrassing."

"Embarrassing no Dangerous yes."

"Explain..."

"No."

"If it's dangerous, who better to help you than me!"

"Not dangerous to me exactly..."

"To who then?"

"If I told you then there would be danger. Let's go."

"Why?"

"Let's go." Ginger repeated, padding out of the cave.

"Can you answer my question, for the love of big cats?"

"That's the problem."

"What's the problem?"

"You are a cat who probably pounce on a rat without second thought."

"So are you, but I'd only pounce on a rat if I needed food."

Ginger shrugged. "Whatever then."

Marie looked out through the window of her cell. Her eyes were flint hard but sad. She inched forward and pressed her hand against the transparent door, her claws, filed down but still sharp, scraped softly against the glass, glass that was worn thin from her constant scratching. "If a Guarder comes anywhere near here." She thought. "I just might burst through and it'll be sorry it did."

Monica sauntered up to her. "Hey."

Marie glared at her. "Yes?"
"What are you doing?"

Marie turned away. "I could ask you the same question. How did you get out of your room."

"It's called picking a lock."

"Well you'd better re-lock yourself in before a Guarder catches you."

"The lights should be going off in a minute...they'll be out for awhile so we can do some things."

Marie nodded. "But that's in a few minutes isn't it?"

"So...let's go..."

Marie sighed. "I'll use the back entrance. Did you know they changed the shifts? There's a Guarder coming by in a few minutes."

"Of course I do! That's why I turned off the lights so they can't see."

Marie laughed. "Are you kidding! They can see in the dark! Even if they couldn't they could smell you!"
"Not on my watch." Monica grinned.

Marie gave her an icy look. "If all goes well we escape tonight but not if someone gets seen out of their cell!"
"Well...let's get going. I have all my valuables in a rucksack so come on."

"After the lights go out and the Last Guarder Patrol comes by!"

"Don't worry...we can make it."

Marie leaped up and dragged her claws down the glass violently. "We're lucky the last patrol is Morgono or you'd be dead right now!"
"You know me...the master of escaping death."

"You do realize he's standing right behind you."

"Of course, I do," Monica said without turning around. "Hello, Morgono. Have you seen James?"

Morgono growled. "Probably still in his cell like you are supposed to be!"
A tall figure appeared behind Morgono. "Actually...I felt like it was a good time to escape."

Marie groaned. "Alright start freeing the others." She stood up, drew back her fist and punched through a section of glass.

Jamesgrinned and started to open a cage.

Marie broke more glass away from the hole then rolled her eyes and smashed through.

Monica went to help James.

Marie slipped past them and slashed through the lock on a cage holding a creature that looked half dog half snake.

Monica looked at James. "How'd you get out?"

Marie slashed open another door.

"The way I always do. Slithering out of my cage. That's how I found you when you tried to sneak out but got caught and nearly died."

Marie growled. "I bet the others are in the tunnels already. I told you to leave the freeing of the animals to me."
James looked at Marie. "You talking to us?"

"Yes!"

Sunset yawned and sat up, then she frowned it was still night-time what had awakened her? Then she heard it a slight humming. Sunset raised her arm. The star patch on her forearm was glowing and humming softly. Sunset groaned she knew what that meant. Someone or something was trying to steal the power of the Magical Stars. Sunset swung out of bed and darted over to her window. Ducking behind the curtains she removed a slip of wood from the sill and reached into the narrow gap, pulling out a crystal pendant. Sunset held up the Star Pendant and slipped it over her head. "Guardian's of the Stars TRANSFORM!" She yelled.
a Brilliant light surrounded her and when it faded she was Sunsent Leader of the Star Guardians. Vaulting out the window Sunsent sprinted toward a hidden park far in the forest. A mile away in the zoo the bronze statue of a tiger shimmered and faded. In it's place was a brilliant white tiger with wings and a long spiraling horn. The tiger roared leaping from it's pedestal and over the zoo walls running toward the park. On the roof of an old Museum a winged wolf gargoyle stretched it's stone legs and jumped spreading it's wings it flew toward the park.

Lyriu appeared behind Sunset, wearing a pendant that represented the star, Polaris, flanked by Kiro and Tekla. "What's the problem, Sunset?"

Sunset held up her arm to show the Star Mark pulsing softly. "You know what this means."

"Do you know which one?"

Sunset nodded. "Northern Star the one that's surrounded by green light."

Lyriu turned white. "That's not good."
Sunset jumped onto Rivian's back. "Nothing we can't handle
Rivian TO THE AIR!"

Lyriu jumped on to Kiro's back and Tekla perched on her shoulder. She took off after Sunset.

Sunset drew her Crystal Sword and squeezed the hilt. The sword unfolded into a shield which she held in front of her to protect from the forthcoming change from worlds.

"How long will it be to get there? Tekla was being a chatterbox and I didn't pick any of that information up."

"Two minutes maybe three!"
"Oh..okay..Tekla, shut up about that male red-tailed hawk you saw the other day!"

Sunset laughed softly behind her hand. The edges of her shield began to glow as boiling winds raced past it.
Lyriu rolled her eyes. "Tekla likes him." That got her a peck in the back.

Rivian took a swipe at them with her paw. "Stop squabbling you two!"

"Don't hit us!"

"Relax I'm too far away for that."

"I know, but you could easily close that distance!"

Rivian snorted. "Not in this stage. you know I have to stay on course."
"You still could if you want to."


"Are you trying to make be burn to ash!?"

"No...but if you really want to, go ahead." Lyriu ended with a joke.

Rivian muttered something under her breath and continued flying.

"What did you just call me?!"

Rivian looked over at Lyriu. "Wouldn't you like to know." She purred.
"I sure would!"

Rivian laughed. "Well I'm certainly not going to tell you!"

"Sunset, what did she say?"

Sunset grinned. "I didn't quite hear her and if I had I wouldn't tell you either."

"Oh, come on! Does it involve bad words?"

Rivian grinned. "Not telling you!"

"Please! I want to know!" She then whispered something to Tekla. Tekla brightened at the words.

Rivian shook her head. "I'm not even going to ask."

"Please!"

Rivian grinned as they emerged into a cool star filled void. "Finally!" She zipped away toward the besieged star.


Tekla grinned. "You're gonna get it when we return."

Rivian shuddered in mock terror. "Oh really."

"Absolutely!"

Rivian flew sideways and knocked lightly into Tekla. "I wouldn't try it if I were you. I'm bigger then you are."

"Oh...I got something even better planned for you when we get home...not pin the bird to the big cat."

"And that means...?"

"Haven't you ever played the game: pin the tail on the donkey?"

"A few times."

"Then you know that I'm basically saying the same thing."

Rivian growled. Turning she whirled away toward Sunset.

Tekla gave a bird like grin.

Rivian bounded off the night and landed on a shadow creature, her claws slashing it into ribbons.

Lyriu dismounted from Kiro and gave Tekla a look. "Stop messing around." She drew a sword.

Sunset grabbed her sword from it's sheath. "Let's go!"

Lyriu looked at Sunset. "What weapon should I use? My sword? My bow and arrows? My daggers and knives? Any of my guns?"

Sunet blocked an attack with her sword. "Any of them!"

Lyriu smiled and pulled out her RPG (rocket propelled grenade launcher). She started firing away at the enemies.

Sunset thrust her sword through someones guard and then spun away to attack another.

Lyriu let out a cheer of enjoyment.

"Look out@" Sunset yelled. "There's one behind you!"

Lyriu dropped her RPG for a moment and slashed the soldier with her sword."

Sunset whirled around and drove her sword through another.

Lyriu did a jump thunder kick on another and them stabbed it with a sword.

Rivian roared, leaping around space like a striped thunderbolt, dealing damage with her claws teeth and magic.

Kiro took down another and Tekla started pecking his eye out.

Rivian yowled as she was broadsided by a different minion and set flying into the side of the star.

Lyriu grinned as she pulled out an AK-47 and started rapid firing at the enemies.

Rivian leaped back up and charged into the fray.


"Rivian!" Lyriu shouted. "If you haven't noticed, I have an AK-47 and I'm not afraid to use it. I could accidentally shoot you!"

"Do not!" Rivian roared back. "Or you'll be very sorry!"

"So will you!"

Rivain growled, turning she bashed someone's head in.

Chione stood on the bank of a river, staring out across the water. Hearing a noise behind her she turned. "Hello who are you?"
Okava shoved Filko forward."Get a move on! Your the one who said you wanted to meet Egyptian girls. There's your Egyptian girl!"

chione half smiled. "I think you want to talk to my older sister Isis. She's over there." Turning she pointed to her sister who was sitting on the bank, writing something in a journal.


Filko was awed by her beauty and gaped at Isis. Okava laughed. "He's hopelessly in love."

Chione grinned. "As is anyone else who sees her."

"It's so ridiculous. I haven't even gotten to that point and here's my younger brother doing just that."


Chione laughed. "I know Isis charms anyone who sees her but your brother better watch out. She's like a snake hypnotizes you one moment and then bites you." She looked over at Okava. "My names Chione by the way."


"I'm Okava and that is my crazy brother, Filko."

Chione grinned. "Nice to meet you. As you already know that's Isis over there and across the river is my other sister Halima."

"Great. Two Egyptian girls for me to drag him away from at the end of the day."


"He'd better watch out though. My sisters are not people to be taken lightly."
"I'll make sure he's aware of that, but he's done more dangerous things like summiting Everest with me a year ago and going on an expedition through the jungles of India and Thailand."

Chione smiled. "Believe me there is nothing more dangerous then my sisters. They have had quite a lot of Training." She turned back to the river and for an instant, the image of a giant wolf was next to her.


"A giant wolf?"


Chione whirled about. "What!?"

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"There was a picture in the river."


Chione turned away. "Probably a trick of the light."

"No...I see things in reflections....usually memories."

Chione looked at her. "Really?"

"Sometimes."


Chione turned away. "Seems we have something in common. I can see into the spirits of others."

"We'd better round them up before Fiko makes a...(cough)...questionable...(cough)...move on her..."


Chione grinned. "I agree."

"Filko! Come hither!"
Filko looked at her, distraught and annoyed at being interrupted.


Chione smiled. "I can always ask someone to go get him."

"Like who?" Okava asked. "Filko! Come at once!"
Filko glared at Okava.


Chione smiled. "Like him... Mountain Wolf GO!" With a howl the giant wolf came exploding from nowhere and bounded at Filko.
"It won't hurt him right?"


Chione grinned. "No Mountain Wolf won't hurt him unless Filko attacks him."


"Okay...good. My parents wouldn't be happy if I let him get hurt."


Chione's eyes narrowed. "What is he doing!"

"What?"

"Your brother. It's almost like he's calling something..."

"Calling someone? He doesn't have those types of powers. Besides...his soul shadow, Lluvia, is on vacation."


Choine's eyes relaxed. "Good. I should have known you were Karimo. It's hard to miss."

"I hope that Lluvia isn't getting my soul shadow, Everest, in trouble."


Chione whistled and Mountain Wolf came padding back to her. "Mountain Wolf and I are never separated. We were for too long once."

"How?"


Chione shivered. "It's hard to explain. We were never bonded at first. It took him almost 13 years to connect with me."

"We've got time."


Chione rested a hand on Mountain Wolf's head. "I don't know what happened but I didn't even know I had a Soul Shadow until my parents died."

"Ah...Everest nearly..." Suddenly, a huge snow leopard appeared and pounced on her followed by a huge clouded leopard. "Chione, meet Everest and Lluvia...Filko and my Soul Shadows."


Mountain Wolf gave a low warning growl. "Put so much as a paw wrong!" He snarled harshly. "And I'll flay your fur into ribbons."

Everest held up a paw. "Chillax. I do that to greet Okava every time I see her after a long period of being apart. Same for Lluvia."


Mountain Wolf growled. "I meant with my Bond!"

Lluvia spoke: "We won't hurt her. We just do that to our bonds."



Chione placed her hands on Mountain Wolf's head and shoved him back. "Don't mind him. He's just a little wary of other Souldshadows. He's clashed with my sister's too many times to be friendly at the moment."

"Lluvia and Everest are very playful...in fact, if I'm not mistaken...they're best friends. Right, you two?" Both Soulshadows nodded.


Mountain Wolf half growled half whimpered. He turned and leaped at Chione, vanishing into thin air.

"What was that?" Okava asked.



Chione touched her chest. "He went back. Don't yours vanish like that as well?"

"Not very often. They don't usually do it quite like that."


Chione shrugged. "I don't know then."

"I guess we'll have to find out." Okava turned back to her brother. "Filko! Time to go!"




Chione tilted her head. "Where are you going?"

"To the place we're staying...unless you want to hang out. I promise Filko won't do anythin questionable to your sister."


Chione shrugged. "We don't really have anyplace to go. We're traveling."


"Then come stay with us."

Where are they all?


Some wilderness.

Chione grinned. "Okay. Where are you going?"
"We have a lodgings near by."

I thought they were in Egypt. Razz


Chione nodded. "Okay." She turned and whistled to catch Isis's attention. Behind her Mountain Wolf appeared and loped off over the stream.

Okava signaled to her brother. "We're going."


Chione nodded. "Halima should be here soon."

Mal looked up from where she had been practicing throwing her daggers. "Hi you must be the new Cadet here."

"I am. My name is Haji."

Mal threw another dagger, hitting the center of the target. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mal Aria but you can call me Mal." She stopped throwing her daggers and turned to Haji. "Did you have any trouble coming into the Academy?"

"No...although a certain Rilou decided that I was it's friend and followed me here." She stepped asides to reveal her new friend.

Mal smiled. "That's Rigo, one of the more powerful but silly Pokemon around here. It's strange that you got in here without trouble. Normally Lurio likes to trip the new Cadets before they set foot beyond the gates and Vari likes to make the walls invisible."

Haji shrugged. "I live kind of close to here. I know all of the roads and such. Rigo did warn me to steer clear of some obstacle...probably Luio...and I took the long way."

Mal shook her head. "That obstacle was mre like Shadow's Territory. If Lurio was going to trip you he would have found you before you entered the gate."

"Hmm...so now that I'm here, what should I do?"
Mal smiled. "Do you know what your power is?"

"I know what it is but I have no idea what it's called. I can see the past and the future."

Mal grinned. "You'll be one of the Special Group then."

"Special group?"

Mal nodded. "Yes I'm the head of that group. It for Cadets who have out of the ordinary powers. Like mine or my friends Flight and Whisper."

"What do you and they do?"

"I can use quite a few powers but my main one is not something you would like to witness. Flight can ride the winds like surfboards and Whisper can make people dizzy without them even knowing it."

"What's your main power?"

"I can make people sick or remove illnesses."
"AH..."

Mal looked over out through the gates. "Oh boy do we have trouble."

"What's that?"


"Lurio's coming and he is flaming mad. He must have gotten chased out of Shadow's territory again. That or he fell in the river. Maybe both I never can tell."

"What does Lurio have to do with anything?"

"Just I'd watch what you say around him. Lurio... well lets just say he likes revenge. Plus the fact that he follows the new cadets around whenever they leave the academy."

"You can tell him that he's met his match in revenge."

Mal grinned. "I wouldn't count on it." She turned and threw another dagger into the target. "Now there are a few rules here. Pretty strict ones."

"What?" Haji unslung her longbow from her shoulder and hit the bullseye off the target.

Mal grinned. Aiming another dagger she threw it, splitting the arrow straight down the shaft. "One is the fact that we don't fight Pokemon here. If you capture a Pokemon it has to be of their own wish. Two kids tried to weaken and capture Lurio and they got expelled."

"And...?" Haji threw a sword at the target, again hitting a bullseye.


Mal threw three daggers into the bullseye. "Stay away from the patch of field near the pond on the east side from the Academy if you value your life."

"ANything else and why wouldn't I want to go there."

"There are others but not very important ones. The reason is because a Shadow Ninetailes named Shadow lives there. She is really territorial."

Haji smiled. "Sounds good."

"So want to help me with the rounds so hopefully we can avoid Lurio for a while?"

"Sure...what are rounds?

"They're not official or anything. I just move around the Academy to make sure no one is bullying or fighting."

"Ah. Sounds like fun."

Mal grinned. "It lets me practice my powers."

"Funny."

"I'm serious. See that cadet over there who just used Telekinesis to push that other girl into puddle?"

"Yes, but still...that's funny," Haji said.

"Not to her it isn't!"

"Who's her?"

"The girl from the Telepathic group who got shoved into that puddle."

"Why wouldn't she like it?"

Mal groaned. "Would you like getting suddenly shoved face down in a puddle?"
"No...but I thought you had another meaning for it."

Mal drew one of her daggers. "My job here is to make sure no one gets bullied or something worse happens. There has been a lot of trouble here in the past."

"I see."

Mal nodded. "I watch the Academy and my partner watches the forest and surrounding Wildlands. Even with that though. Something manages to slip past at times."

Haji darted through. "Hey!"

Valkyrie wheeled about in midair. "What?"

"I heard you guys were out catching Pokemon."

"We're going to try."

"what are you out to catch?"

"Sounds good! Good thing I have all my Pokemon catching gear with me."

"Any Pokemon?"

"What do you mean?"

"You do have a Pokemon right?"

Valkyri leaped to the top of an broken escalator in the half collapsed Poke-Mart. Muttering something to herself she began clawing through the rubble in search of something useful.

"Hey!" Acroyali climbed on top of the rubble.

Valkyri whirled around and hissed, yanking a dagger from her belt.

"Hey...it's just me...it's not like there are zombies everywhere!"

Midnight's hand closed on the hilt of her sword. She could hear the Ghost Dog howling but it was farther away than she had expected. But Midnight was always wary. The Ghost Dog had others who hunted her and her friends and you could almost never tell when one was around until you heard them five feet away.

"Midnight,what are you doing here?" whispered Henna. She was holding a bow,with a sheath of arrows over her shoulder.

delilah walked up her weapons at the ready she shot an arrow of of her bow

Midnight yelped as the arrow hit the tree next to her head. "Delilah be more careful! In answer to your question Henna I'm looking for supplies but something is hunting us right now."

Ghost ran into the cave. "Hey! I heard some angry voices. You alright?"

Madnight nodded. "Delilah nearly hit me with an arrow."

Ghost grinned. "Nice one, Delilah."

Midnight shook her head. "Shh!"

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Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post Delete this post "What?" Ghost whispered.

"Something's hunting us. It wants to make us it's dinner."

"That's never good."

Midnight drew her sword. "No. It never is."

"So...what are we going to do about it?"

"Hopefully it won't fin us. If it does then well..." Midnight drew a finger over her throat.

"That's fine...but let's find a place to hide...or at least get out of here."

Midnight nodded. "Okay." She turned and sprinted into the darkness.

Valkyrie leaned against the wall of the Academy, polishing her lightsaber. She looked up at Aluik. "Hello you must be Jedi Master Aluik."

Aluik nodded. "I am."

Valkyrie dipped her head slightly in respect. "I am Valkyrie Wildflyer the new Transfer Trainee here but you probably already know that."

"I did...I felt a disturbance in the Force of a new person joining us...I'm sure that you know that we need more padawans (trainee)."

Valkyrie nodded. "I know."

"Your master, Xevari, will be here shortly. Now may I know more about you?"

Valkyrie's eyes narrowed, her lightsaber as if in response to her anger sprang forth humming with energy. "Three things! One I have no master! Two I am more then I appear! And Three I answer to no one!"

"You cannot possibly learn the ways of the Force without a master. There's something you are not telling me about yourself."

Valkyrie shuddered slightly, her unseen wing feathers rippling under her tunic. "You know nothing about me? I thought they already told you."

"I would like to hear it for myself."

Valkyrie turned away. "Know what? That I have been a Padawan for almost two and a half years now? That my master died in a battle against Darth Vader? Or that I was sent here from another academy because I can't control my powers and everyone was afraid of me there..."

"I did know that," Aluik replied. "You are here to find your inner peace so we do not have another Darth Vader incident. It's the bane of Master Yoda's existence."

Valkyrie growled. "If Darth Vader comes anywhere near here...!"

"He won't."

Valkyrie nodded. "Good."

"And here comes Xevari." The dark skinned Jedi walked into the room.

Valkyrie's eyes narrowed and coldly, she turned away.

Xevari stood there and glanced at Aluik. Aluik said, "Come back, Valkyrie."

"It doesn't matter anyway." Valkyrie said coldly."It does if you don't want Darth Sideous to turn you into a Sith." Aluik was prepared to use Jedi mind tricks if necessary, but Valkyrie had a strong mind.

Valkyrie growled. "No one can do that and don't even think about using a mind trick. That's been tried at least seven times in the last three academy's."

"That's the kind of attitude that will pull you to the Dark Side. It happened to Anakin and it could happen to you. The reason your masters at the other three academies couldn't use a mind trick was because you have a mind stronger than what they are used to."

Valkyrie whirled around. "I am not like other cadets or Anakin Skywalker! There are no others like me! I may look human but I'm not! I am not going to accept another master so no way!"

Inside her mind, Aluik was boiling mad, however she kept her self in check. She used her mind tricks. "You will accept Xevari as a mentor."

Valkyrie shook her head. "Stop that!" She snarled. "It won't work!" Her head arching back, she yowled. A cat-like screech that reveal her teeth were sharply pointed. Around the room things small and large, began to vibrate.

"A Padawan is not to be left with out his or her mentor!" Aluik hissed, her tail puffing up and her eyes narrowing. She turned up the power in her mind tricks.

Valkyrie's eyes widened and started to glow. "STOP THAT!" The back of her tunic bulged as if something was trying to break free and with a well, she threw Aluik across the room with a powerful Force Push.

Aluik turned the power up a notch. "I will not stop unless you agree to be with Xevari. You have no reason not to. Besides, it will only be for awhile. You were almost ready for the Trials."

Valkyrie staggered back. "You... leave me no choice!" She growled. She shut her eyes and when she opened them again. They were glowing with power.

While maintaing her control, she shouted at Xevari: "A little help here!"

"YAAAAHHH!" Valkyrie let out a high shrieking call, her whole body surrounded by an aura of light. Again the back of her tunic strained as if something was trying to break free. All around her things around the room were being lifted into the air and between her hands a ball of glowing force was materialized.

Xevari ran towards Aluik and projected a shield around the two Jedi.

With a yell Valkyrie threw the ball of Force out the window. "RRRRAAAHHH!" She screamed as her entire body began to glow with energy light. Her eyes flickering from glowing to normal and back as everything in the room began to hover.

Aluik called in another language into a wrist watch like object for back up as she turned up her power.

Valkyrie swung toward Aluik and Xevari. Her eyes flashed normal for one instant. "Run." She whispered. "Run."

"Xevari, go get another Jedi or so and find a room where I can talk to Valkyrie with out her throwing things at me." Xevari took off and sprinted out of the room. Aluik stopped her mind contra...anymore and she'd kill Valkyrie and Valkyrie would kill her. "Valkyrie, give me one good reason why you won't accept your new mentor."

Valkyrie shuddered, her glow getting brighter. "You're too late." She hissed. "You have to run."

Aluik's eyes narrowed for a moment but felt pity for Valkyrie. "I'll be back when you stop this." She strode out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Valkyrie half smiled in relief and closed her eyes. Instantly the room exploded with brilliant white light that tore everything apart. Valkyrie shrieked as her barely controlled power left her in one blinding rush. With a huge blast the room simultaneously blew apart and lit on fire. With a sigh Valkyrie fell back into the rubble, her energy spent.

Aluik turned back just as the room exploded. Shielding herself from the debris, she ran into what used to be the room and scooped up Valkyrie and ran away from the 'room'.

Valkyrie's eyes shot open and she flipped away from Aluik into the air, landing on the other side of the hall next to a large window. Her eyes were wild yet sad as she stared at the Jedi master.

"While you aren't exploding things, answer my question. Why won't you accept your master?"

Valkyrie's eyes flickered. "I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"Because I already have a Master!"

"And who would that be?"

Valkyrie didn't answer. She spun around and leaped forward, crashing through the window and spinning out of sight toward ground thirty feet below.

"Valkyrie! Listen to me! I want to know who you claim your Master is!"

Valkyrie didn't answer. She bolted toward the forest, the back of her tunic in shreds. Tears flew from her eyes and she raced between the trees.

Aluik followed her. "I just want an answer to my question!"

Valkyrie skidded between the trees. "An answer I am not sure I want to tell you." She whispered.

"Why?" Aluik asked softly. "Here, I may the best chance you have to have someone really listen."

Valkyrie stopped in her tracks as if she had run into a tree. "What."

"I just want to know the whole story so I can help you."

"Why."

"If I know the whole story...I could figure out where the beginning of this whole spiel is and where any problem that might be potentially dangerous started. It's part of my problem solving process."

Valkyrie laughed bitterly. "More dangerous than me?"

"The most dangerous Jedi I've ever dealt with with was Anakin Skywaler. He's the only Jedi I've failed to help and I don’t intend to fail again. I'd rather kill myself then fail again."
Valkyrie whipped around. "But Anakin Skywalker is human! And I'm the only creature he has failed to kill!"

"But you are human...except with wings. I am only a winged ocelot. He failed to kill me when he was sent to hunt me down during Order 66."

Valkyrie extended her wings out, letting the breeze blow through her feathers. "I am not human. I don't know what I am."

"Then tell me your story: right from the beginning and don'tskip the important parts."

Valkyrie shuddered. "No."

"Please."

Valkyrie shook her head. "No!"

"I can help you, you know. You may have realized already that I'm calmer than some of the other Jedi."

"If not, I will find out by other ways that you may not like nor have the ability to stop since you are not of my species."

Valkyrie smiled bitterly. "I may not be of your species but I am powerful. I would not want to explode the forest like I did that room. Then there's the task of catching me"
"I don't need to catch you to see your story. I think you'd prefer if I did though."

Valkyrie shook her head. "You couldn't catch me on the wing."

"Well...if you don't tell the story...I can assure you that either this will hurt or you're going to be temporarily paralyzed."

Valkyrie's eyes narrowed. "NO WAY!" She turned and leaped into the air her wings thrumming violently as she caught the wind and sped away.

"Okay...you give me know choice." Aluik opened Valkyrie's vault of memories.

Valkyrie eyes dilated. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" Her wings jerked spasmodically as she staggered in mid air. Suddenly her wings froze and she fell like a bird shot in mid-flight, thudding into the ground hard.

Aluik backtracked through Valkyrie's memories.

Valkyrie shuddered violently, her wings jerking as she fought to regain control.

She was found in a village alone. Soon after she made her Lightsaber and became the notorious bounty hunter the Triple Bladed Terror. No records are of her because she destroyed them all after two of her best friend were killed. She was taken as an apprentice by the Twi-lek Jedi Master Aria Malkar. Aria was defeated by Darth Vader and Valkyrie became a loner. She was taken by a Jedi Academy but was transferred shortly after. Three Academy's tried to train her. Three Academy's failed and she was always transferred until she came to Aluik's. Note She knows everything about the Clone Wars.

Aluik saw, among other things, some Clones firing, Darth Vader fighting another Jedi, some others running from something, and finally a peaceful village. Then, she hit a wall in the memories. Aluik realized that some of the memories were missing. To Aluik, it would be no problem in finding them, but it would take a while...at least six months.

Valkyrie shuddered violently, her wings shooting outward and slamming into the trees around her. "ENOUGH!" She leaped upright, her Lightsaber activating.

Aluik's lightsaber activated. "Tell me why you wouldn't show me this. My intentions are for your benefit."

Valkyrie shuddered, tears welling in her eyes. "If it was for my benefit you would have left me and my memories alone!" She leaped into the air, her Lightsaber humming as she slashed down.

"You do want to know who you are and where you're from, right?" Aluik blocked the cut.

Valkyrie's grief turned to fury and she attacked faster and harder, her blows coridinating in a lightning past pattern. "I've given up trying to find out! I didn't ask for this! Why don't you Jedi just leave me alone!"

"The task of finding your memories can be done but it can take awhile," Aluik said gently, accidentally letting a purr escape.

Valkyrie's eyes glowed as she shrieked with fury. "My memories are my own! I don't want them found by a trespasser!" She spun around and lashed out to grab Aluik with a Force Choke.

Aluik blocked the choke. "You cannot recover your memories yourself. Last I remembered, it is not a power possessed by your race. I can channel my power through you to do it if you'd like."

Valkyrie leaped back. "What is my race then! Since you seem to know so much about me!"

there are no other beings like Valkyrie so far. I made her species.

Mirinda sat in her compartment on board the Hogwart express. She gently stroked the fur of a small rose dappled cat in her lap.

Aurora, holding her pet cat, Snowdrift, walked into the compartment. "Hi."

Mirinda glanced up, surprised. "Hi."

"What's your name?"

"Mirinda and this..." She pointed to a pure white owl on her shoulder. "Is Lunaria."

Aurora set Snowdrift on the ground of the compartment. "I'm Aurora and this is Snowdrift. DOn't worry...she won't eat your owl."

Mirinda smiled. "What owl?"

"Lunaria."

Mirinda's hand strayed to the head of a small lion cub next to her. "I don't have an owl." True to her word there was no owl in sight.

"Then what exactly is Lunaria?"

Mirinda grinned. "Not many would think to ask that question." She snapped her fingers and the lion cub vanished. Curled up by Mirinda's side was a small Gryphon.

"Is it a griffin, then?"

Mirinda nodded. "Yes she's a griffen."

"I read up on them. The Defense Against the Dark Arts book said that they can change forms."

Mirinda nodded. "Yes but mostly only one or two other shapes. Only some can do more than that."

"I read that also." She stroked Snowdrift's head.

Mirinda nodded slowly. "Did you read anything about Shape Shifters?"

"Yes...but it was towards the beginning of summer."

Mirinda nodded again. "Ah."

"Why do you ask?" Aurora inquired.

Mirinda smiled, her eyes suddenly flashing from blue to purple back to blue.

"Why?" Aurora repeated.

"I wanted to know if you could recognize a Shape-shifter if you saw one."

"Ah...I need to read up on those again...just in case they decide to test us on that when we get there."

Mirinda laughed softly.

"What?" Aurora looked hurt. "It never hurts to be prepared."

Mirinda grinned. "Are you prepared for this?" She leaped off her seat. As she leaped she changed, a sleek black panther with ebony wings landed on the floor of the compartment and reared onto it's hind paws.

"What the..." Aurora was speechless for a moment. "What was that? Are you a shapeshifter?"

The panther flipped backward and Mirinda was again sitting next to her gryphon. "What do you think."

Aurora smiled. "I thought as much when you mentioned shape-shifters."

Mirinda nodded. "Why else did you think it took Hogwarts so long to track me down."

"Ah. I'm not exactly that talented but I discovered that I'm an amingus."

"Oh." Mirinda tilted her head. "Which form can you take?"

"Snow leopard."

"Like this one?" Mirinda stood up and snapped her fingers instantly she was gone and a small Snow Leopard stood in her place.

"Yes...but a little larger."

"Well I could change the size but It's cramped in here."

"Ah...you must not be used to that body."

"I meant the train compartment."

"I suppose so."

Mirinda shook herself like a dog and suddenly she was a girl again.

"So...do you know when the train will reach Hogwarts?"

"We should be there soon."

Aurora waved her wand and her clothes changed to the Hogwarts robes. "There."

Mirinda did the same. "I won't be changing shapes for a while." She remarked. "It would be really weird to see a panther in Hogwarts robes I would think."

"Yeah...I think two big vats prowling the halls would be a bit scary."

"Or a big cat and something else. I'm different from the other Shape-Shifters which is why I lived alone."

"Well...by my estimate, we'll be at Hogwarts in fifteen minutes. We have time for a story."

Mirinda half smiled. "I don't have a story to tell. All I know is I can change into things most Shape-Shifters can't."

"Then why did you live alone?"

"I don't remember any other life than that. When I would meet a few Shape-Shifters by accident they were either scared off or were angry about my talent."

"I wonder why..."

"Not many a Shape-Shifter can turn into a ghost and float through a wall. Or into a animated stone creature."

That's cool. I think that'd be useful at Hogwarts."

"Maybe."

Myra stepped out of the trees and looked around. Seeing no one around she beckoned her five animal companions after her and walked over to the bank of a small stream. Kneeling she cupped her hands to drink from the clear water.

Aklara turned to Tanimi. "Anyone in the area?"
"Not for another half mile."

Myra stood up and laid a hand on her Shirshu Tsua's side. "This war is terrible." She whispered. "My forest is in constant threat but I dare not fight back."

"Let's see if she is friendly...and Aklara, don't try to incinerate her like last time."

Tsua abruptly raised her head out of the water and sniffed the air. She gave a sharp hiss. Myra looked up in alarm. "What is it?"

"I won't as long as they're friendly. You can't trust everyone!" Aklara replied. Jali and Heka spoke in agreement.

Tsua hissed again and Myra whirled around. "Atar Kyra back to the trees! Tsua Kai Moarga stay with me!"

Aklara was about to conjure fire to her fists, but Tanimi glared at her. "Don't even think about. I'll do the talking. This person could be afraid of us...or at least you."
Myra stepped in front of her friends, her eyes narrowed. "There are only two." She thought. "I can handle two."

Tanimi motioned to Sklara. "You stay back here so you don't incinerate anyone. I'll call you out in a moment." SHe stepped out into the clearing.

Myra whirled around, drawing the sword from the sheath on her back. "Who are you!"

"I am Tanimi and my friend back there is Aklara. We and our creatures mean you no harm. We were just passing through and I picked you up on my wind radar."

Myra's eyes narrowed. "I don't like strangers in my forest! Especially Benders!"

"We were escaping from a group of Fire Nation soldiers...they didn't dare come in here...after all, Aklara managed to incinerate them after I threw them in the air and they broke their necks."

"There is good reason they don't want to come in here! Anyone who comes in this forest never goes out!"

"I realized that. We figured you might be friendly to those opposed the Fire Nation control. We were hoping you might join us."


Myra's eyes blazed. "You figured wrong!" She leaped into the air. Fire blazed up around her and with a yell, she hurled it at Tanimi.

Aklara jumped out of the brush and shot fire at Myra and shielded Tanimi from the flames.
Tanimi glared at Aklara. "I can protect myself you know. ANd what did I say about incinerating people?!"
"Only if they attack my...one...friend."

Myra leaped backward, striking Aklara's fire aside. Hissing Tsua bounded forward, her tongue flicking forward to paralyze the two.

Tanimi used a bit of wind and pushed them all apart back. "Stop!"
Aklara froze.

Myra landed, her eye still glowing with fire. Fire that circled around her, ready to be released.

Tanimi glared at the two. "Can't we talk peaceably? You don't have to incinerate each other! You fire benders are sure aggressive."

Myra hissed. "No! Anyone who comes into my forest can never leave!" She leaped into the air, lightning starting to crackle around her arms. "Tsua Nvaro Ktichi!" With a yowl the Shirshu bounded at Tanimi, her tongue ready to lash out and paralyze her.
Tanimi blasted away the lightning with her gusts. "Please! Stop! We were only in here to escape from the soldiers. We will leave unless you'd like to stop the Fir Nation with us. First, we need to find the Avatar."

Myra's eyes flashed. "And what makes you think the Avatar wants anything to do with this war!"

Tanimi sighed. "Maybe nothing at all. We hoped he or she could help us end it. We both lost or families to the Fire Nation soldiers and felt that stopping them would avenge their deaths."

Myra took a step back. "No matter! No Bender of any nation can come into my forest and leave! In my eyes you are all the same!" She gathered all her power into one bright spear of lightning.


"What makes it your forest?" Aklara challenged. "You know we're just traveling through and don't like the Fire Nation same as you. No wonder I don't trust most people because they'll either start hurling elements at me or the run when they find out I can bend fire. Give me one good reason before we blast each other. I guess you'd rather let the Fire Nation take control over everything...even your forest."

Myra growled. "I hate the Fire Nation the Earth Nation the Ari and the Water Nation! No one people started this war and no one nation shall end it!"

Aklara hurled fireballs at her. "Maybe the Avatar is too cowardly to help the Nations! I heard stories that the previous Avatar was kind to all the Nations, but his successor might have run away. No one knows for sure since it was hundred years ago. Maybe you're the Avatar!"

Myra spun about, deflecting the Fireballs and flung a bolt of lightning at Aklara. "Maybe you are the Avatar! Maybe a Fire Nation Soldier is! Who can know for sure! A blame all the Nations for ruining this world!"

"I'm not the Avatar...and sometimes I wish I was so I can finally end this nonsense! Besides, you referred to the Avatar as if you know him or her. At least let someone try and save the world from my home Nation!"

Myra advanced forward defecting and throwing fire with more and more force as her anger grew. "There is no way to stop this war! People have tried for a hundred years! What makes you think the Avatar you or anyone has a chance now!"


"The Avatar kept balance between the elements once, but we have no balance anymore! I thought that if you could get together enough benders that you could return the world to normal. I waited my entire life to be free of the control from my home Nation. I couldn't even say anything condescending about the Fire Lord and that killed my family. As soon as this war ends, I will have avenged my family!"

Myra stopped a few feet away from Aklara, her eyes burned fire red. "Fire Earth Water and Air! All are the same! All have chosen this path of war! My forest is peaceful I protect it from Firebender who want to destroy it! If you leave you will just go on killing! You cannot leave!" With a yell she flung a last blast of ligthing and fire at Aklara.

"Help us if you want to find peace!" Aklara hurled a huge fire ball at Myra. "Can't we avenge our families? Tanimi had to watch hers die and I found mine dead. I'd rather stop Fire Nation than watch them unbalance the elements. You seem pretty handy...in fact Tanimi mentioned that she could tell that you aren't a regular bender."

Myra's eyes burned with an exhausted light as her fire flickered and died. "I will never join your war! I have no family and I will not deprive other of theirs! I bet you never thought about the families of the people you kill!"

Aklara glared at her. "I've only accidentally killed three people. Only injured the others...most of them Fire Nation soldiers! How do you think we felt when our families were killed?!"

Myra summoned another fire. "Fire Nation or not! What about those Soldiers who you said were chasing you! Something about breaking their necks!"

"Tanimi was jokin and only disoriented them. They were luckily I only gave them 1st degree burns!"

Myra shuddered. "I can't let you leave! Your only way out is to destroy me! Something many have tried!"

"Because you're the Avatar! Only a group of benders with one from each element can do that! All we've asked is that you help us bring back balance! I was prepared to die to do it but not like this!"

Myra's eyes flashed with pain but she said nothing.

"You had a family! DOn't you want to avenge them? How did they die anyways?"

Myra flipped backward and landed next to Tsua. "That's none of your concern!" As she spun her hair flew back, exposing a black eye patch over her right eye.

Aklara glared at her. "And I thought you were against killing! You're hurling fireballs at me and I'm sure that you could kill me with something you have up your sleeve."

Amara's eyes burned. "I probably could! And You said you don't have families! You asked me if I wanted to avenge my family! You don't know what you said!"
"You didn't even see what the Fire Lord personally did to my family! If you knew, you'd know why I'm so angry and mistrusting!"

Amara's hand clenched into fists. "If you saw what the Firebenders and Airbenders did to my family you'd know why I'm fighting you right now!"

Aklara collected the fireball in her hand. "What did they do?"

Amara turned away. "Just leave my forest before I change my mind."

"Come on, Tanimi." Aklara said, summoning Heka and Jali. Tanimi summoned Gojo.

Tsua suddenly sniffed the air and growled. Amara's head whipped around. Her eyes flashed with rage and dismay.

Tanimi looked at Aklara. "Are you sure we should leave?"
"It's clear she doesn't want to help," Aklara said, brimming with anger. "Might as well leave now before she decides to use her powers on us."

Myra turned away from Tsua and walked over to the edge of the stream, sitting down on the bank. Rumbling softly Tsua followed her and curled up next to Amara. Resting her head down with her muzzle touching Amara's hand. Amara half smiled, gently she stroked Tsua's fur.

Tanimi sighed. "If only we could learn to trust each other."

Myra laughed bitterly. "You would trust me?"

"I thought you said we were leaving. I didn't know you were going to personally walk us out as if we were little children," Aklara spat.
Tanimi looked at Myra. "If we all saw each other's past and what we all went through. We have things in common."

"Oh I'm not moving!" Myra snarled. "I'm waiting for the Firebender patrol outside the forest to chance coming in here."

Tanimi shook her head. "That's not foing to happen unless someone scares them inside."

Myra shook her head. "Oh no. They'll be in here alright. You have something of theirs."

"What?" Aklara spat. "You?"

"No! That!" Myra pointed at something hanging out of Aklara's satchel. "Don't you recognize it!"

"What do you mean?"

Myra leaped to her feet and streaked past Aklara, grabbing the small bag from her satchel as she did so.
"Hey! That's my bag of ancestor statues! Give them back!" Aklara ran after her.

"Wrong bag!" Myra shouted. "I don't suppose you know that this is actually the Fire Lords crown you have here!"

Aklara zapped the bag Myra was holding with a fireball and her ancestor statues fell out. "The Fire Lord's crown is back in his palace! I don't want his filthy jewels!"

Myra held up a glowing golden crown with a giant fire ruby set in the center. "Then what is this?"

Aklara was fuming. She scooped up her ancestor statues quickly. "The Fire Lord's crown jewels, of course. Anyone of Fire Nation would know that. But I didn't take them."

"The Fire Nation seems to know you have them though."

Aklara scowled at Mira. "Because they put them in there. SOme elemental residue is on it that the Fire Lord can track since he's a fire bender. I'm more concerned that you nearly had me incinerate my ancestor statues. They mean a lot to me, you know. I'd destroy those crown jewels as soon as I could if I really did steal them.""

Myra's eyes narrowed. "And now I have a patrol of Firebenders here."

"That's really the least of your worries." Tanimi said. Unless you destroy that crown the Fire Lord can track you. We were going to go back to the place where it was made to do that."

Myra's eyes flashed. "The least of my worries! What do you mean! Fire Nation is in my forest that means there is danger to my friends!"

"If you want to save your friends, you will want to come with us."

Myra's stepped back, a fire lightning on her hand. "Why would you want me to come!"

"Because you can help us," Tanimi replied.

Myra glowered. "And why would you want my help?!"

"Your skills can help us destroy the crown."

"And start a thousand year war!"

"That's what you think. The nations are already warring. We can end it."

Myra hesitated. "I can't trust you."

Jara spun around her room, grabbing things off her dresser and her bed. "I hope everything goes alright." She thought. "With Dharkai's pups due soon and all the dangers in Anihu woods."

"You ready?" Solak appeared in Jara's room with her belongings, quiver, bow, and other necesarrybelongings over her shoulder.

Jara nodded. "Have Taleal, Dharkai, Hokano and Loik gone to the kitchens yet?"

"What could they possibly need from the kitchen?"

"That snack my mother is going to give them that will keep their strength up for the trip."

"Oh...that. Are you sure she's not trying to poison them?"

Jara glared at Solak. "I highly doubt it."

"Just checking."

Jara nodded. "Do you have everything?"

"Of course. What did you think I was doing in my room?"

"You never know with Bandit around. She'd steal the shoes off your feet if you weren't careful."

"Bandit would have set off my magical sensors."

Jara grinned. "Then how come one of your shoes is gone?"

Solak's shoe shimmered back into view. "I made it invisible."

Jara laughed. "Nice."

"Bandit thought he had taken it earlier and was gloating over it."

Jara laughed. "That sounds like Bandit. She loves to steal and always parades it around in front of your face if she succeeds."

"Wait until she tries to find it to do just that."

Jara grinned. "She'll probably just steal something else and do that."

"Not on my watch."

Jara raised an eyebrow. "Then where is she?"

"In the kitchen, raiding. She dragged Loik with her and they're probably stuffing their faces with the steaks that are for dinner."

Jara whirled around. "WHAT!"
"You heard me correctly."

Jara whirled around and ran toward the kitchen.

"What's wrong with that other than whoever is in the kitchen is going to be mad?"

"There was something with those steaks they're not suppose to eat!"

"What?"

Jara exploded into the kitchen and slipped on a loose steak. Sliding forward she crashed into Bandit and Loik. "Out OUT!"

Solak nearly collided with the two wolves as they darted out of the kitchen. "Whty aren't they supposed to eat the steaks again?"

Jara lifted up a steak and grabbed a small container from under it. "This. If it had broken open..." She shuddered.

"What's in it?"

"It's a seasoning made out of a type of mushroom. Harmless to us but deadly to the wolves."

"Right....don't they know not to eat that or at least smell for it? ...Or are they two obsessed with the find to check?" Solak threw a look at the two wolves.

"I was afraid it might have opened and spilled some of it onto a steak or two."

Solak shook her head with a sigh. "Come on, Loik. Out."

Jara grinned. "Same goes for you Bandit. You are lucky I'm not telling White Raven what you were up to."

Solak had a smug grin. "Taleal would kill you, Loik."

Jara laughed. "She has been a bit snappish lately. Her pups are probably going to be born soon."

"Do you mean Taleal or White Raven?"

"Taleal."

"Oh, yeah. She's careful not to snap someone's head off in the process. I meant to ask your mother if she had a calming potion for her."

Sapphire Opal

Jara grinned. "Your in luck." She reached into her belt pouch and tossed a vial to Solak. "I had some made for the trip."

"Good. I was a little worried for her."
"I just hope Loik and Hokana cooperate enough so we can ride them.

"Loik won't mind I have asked him before hand."

"Hokano is the one I'm worried about. I've told him three times and he still acts like I've lit a fireball underneath him."

Solak started laughing. "Maybe a good talk from Loik will help."

"Who knows with a Wild Wolf."

"If not, Loik won't mind if you ride with us." Loik growled in protest. Solak cuffed him. "That's your punishment for raiding the kitchen."

"I'll somehow catch Hokano. I'm just not sure how to do so."

Solak shrugged. "I have no idea...maybe you could get Dharkai to talk to him."

"She tried."

"That kind of leaves me out of ideas."

"He'll cooperate sooner or later I'm sure."


"I'm sure he will." Solak smirked.

"Once a wild wolf always a wild wolf."

"I suppose so."

Jara shook her head. "Are you packed?"

"Of course."

"Just checking."

"I would hope so."

Jara stepped out of the kitchen. "Well we are going to be there for a year or more. Now where's Dharkai."

"Sunning herself."

"Where?"

Solak pointed out the window.

Jara looked out the window. "Oh."

Alalu paced worriedly back and forth, glancing over her shoulder from time to time. "I can still sense it!" She thought. "why?"

Mira padded over to her. "What's going on?"

Alalu jumped and whirled around. "Mira you startled me!"

"What's got your tail in a knot?"

Alalu shook her head. "I'm sure it's nothing but I keep sensing something...it's hard to explain."

"I've got the time."

"It started a few days ago. I felt like someone was following me but no one would ever be there. Now I feel like something bad is going to happen...soon."

"That doesn't sound good."

Alalu nodded. "I'm sure it's nothing but with the pups due so soon I worry."

"That's why you should be in the camp."

Alalu shook her head. "No I feel it worse there."

"Worse?"

"Yes. Like there's a dark force there."

"A dark force?"

Alalu nodded. "Yes."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"The fact that I feel Evil in the camp is something to be worried about."

"I know. What do you thing it is?"

Alalu shook her head. "I don't know." Standing up she turned and padded into the brush.

"Then where are you going?"

"The one place I fell safer."

"And that is?"

Alalu looked back at her. "I can show you if you like. But be careful."

"Okay."

Alalu padded through the grass until she came to a large rock. Closing her eyes she placed one paw on the boulder and gently shoved it aside.
"What's so safe about this place?"

Alalu looked back, padding down a series of black stone steps. "Not safe for you maybe but safe for me."

"How's it safe for you and not safe for me?"

Alalu stopped in front of a slow fall of lava. "Just because." She stepped forward into the lava.

"Just because...don't you have a better answer than that?"

Alalu held up her paw and the Lava flow parted in the center. "Come on before this falls back into place."

Leik stepped inside the cave.

Alalu let the lava flow drop back to normal and turned. Walking into another cave. The walls glowed flame red and straight through the center flowed a river of lava. With a sigh Alalu stepped over to a patch of soft rock and curled up next to the lava river.

"What are you doing?"

Alalu looked up. "I said this was the only place I feel safe. Why did you think I came here?"

"To play with lava," Mira said sarcastically.

Alalu rose to her paws, snarling. "If you don't like it, leave!"

"I'm just joking..."

Alalu growled again and lay back down.

"What's the matter?"
.
"Nothing I'm just irritated these days."

"Irritated how?"

"Irritated as in chewing the ear off of any wolf who annoys me!"

"Ouch." Mira stepped back as if she had stepped on some lava.

Alalu laughed softly and laid her head back down.

"That's not funny!"

Alalu raised her head up off her paws and slowly slithered forward off the rock and into the lava stream.

Mira freaked out and went berserk.

Alalu rose her head from the lava river. "Calm down Mira or I'll splash you! I'm fine!"

At the phrase 'splash you', Mira went more beserk.

Alalu lunged out of the lava river and grabbed Mira by the scruff. "Calm down!"

Mira yelped.



Alalu let go. "Oh come on I didn't grab you that hard."

"It's hot!"


Alalu spat some lava onto the stone. "Oops forgot I had that in my mouth."

"What are you doing to me!?"

Alalu tilted her head. "Nothing. Why would I."

"Didn't you happen to know I'm afraid of lava?!"

"Not really. You seemed to walk under the Lava curtain just fine."

"I didn't see that!" Mira snapped.

"You walked right under it remember! I held it up for you!"
"I didn't see any lava!"

Alalu sighed, she flicked her tail at the lava screen over the entrance of the cave. "That."

Mira shuddered and yelped at the sight."

Alalu sighed. "You walked right under that. I shouldn't have brought you here."
Mira whimpered. "Why?"

"I didn't know you were scared of lava. I figured I should have a wolf here. There might me enough time for me to take you out of the lava field though."

"What do you mean?"

The reason Mira is scared of lava is because: a. she nearly fell into a volcano as a pup and singed her fur and b. that was how Leik died.

"My pups are coming soon and I'd rather be here. I can get you out in time though."

"WHOOOHOOO!" Rainbowlily yelled as she slid wildly through the icy tunnel of Icetree. Using her wings to turn she zoomed around a corner and... crashed into something soft.

"Hey! Get off me, Rainbowliliy!" Moonlightspirit said. "That hurt!"

Rainbowlily scrambled up the tunnel holding onto roots with her jaws until she got a safe perch. "Sorry didn't see you I was going too fast."

"I thought we were supposed to be hunting."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Right I decided to go for a slide before looking for more mice. What are you doing in the middle of Icetree? There is no prey here."

"I don't know...I must of been wandering around while I was having a flashback...you brought me back to the present. Stormpaw got mad at me and that's when I started having the flashback..."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Do you have any idea how to get out of here I went around so many turns I'm as clueless as a fish out of water on how to leave."

Moonlightspirit sighed and became serious. "It's out here." She lead her out of one tunnel and into the open woods. "I came here some many times as a kit and then a queen...I know the whole tunnel system by heart."

Rainbowlily purred, tipping her face to the sunshine. "So any suggestions on where to hunt?"

"I found some voles and a handful of squirrels by Jungle Hollow...provided that Stormpaw didn't scare them away yet."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Then lets hunt there." Turning she bounded toward Jungle Hollow.

Moonlightspirit led her over to the shady hollow. "Great...he scared off the squirrels: just as I suspected. He is a bit clumsy." (Moonlightspirit insulted Stormpaw earlier...that's why he was mad.)

Rainbowlily dipped her head. "Stormpaw has every reason to be upset. What with that illness that keeps her from being a warrior."

"What illness? I'm no medicine cat and don't pay attention to those things."

Rainbowlily shot Moonlightspirit a look. "I don't know what it's called I wasn't there when she was diagnosed. But I do know it makes her cough a lot and have fits from time to time."

Moonlightspirit shivered. "I...didn't know. It's just that Stormpaw's been like that forever."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Yep she's had it for a long time it makes her kind of cranky at times."

"Kind of like me..." Moonlightspirit muttered under her breath, wishing she didn't have anger issues.

Rainbowlily slashed a vine that was in her path with her claws, chopping it in half. "Hey I found something!"

"What?"

Rainbowlily gestured at a strange paw-print in the muddy earth. "What kind of print is that? I've never seen it before in the forest."

Moonlightspirit felt dread creeping up her spine. She had seen it before and last time, it had nearly taken her kits. She started having a flashback. "I think it's a wolverine print....last time, one nearly ate my kits."


Rainbowlily looked around nervously. "This print is fresh and..." Her eyes widened in horror. "It's going toward the camp!"

Moonlightspirit put her head in her paws. "That's not good..." She gripped herself as she had another flashback about her encounter with a wolverine. She couldn't seem to shake herself from it.

Rainbowlily spun around. "We have to get back there!"

"Sorry...I had a flashback...." SHe dashed in the direction of camp.

Rainbowlily could not shake the overwhelming fear that clung to her. She had only felt this once before when her father Eaglepelt had been killed by a party of rogues. Distracted Rainbowlily tripped on a root, nearly falling.

"You okay?"

Rainbowlily nodded. "Yes." She took off again running as fast as she could.

"That's good."

As they neared the camp. Rainbowlily heard the battle cries of the other warriors and above it all a guttural roaring. She shot a panic look at Moonlightspirit. "We're too late!"

"Oh no! Is there anything we can do for them?"

"We can fight!" With a yowl Rainbowlily shot under the roots of one willow trees, streaking through the entrance tunnel.



Moonlightspirit streaked after he friend but caught herself on a thorn. "OW! They need to make this tunnel safer." SHe unhooked herself and joined the fighting.

Rainbowlily skidded to a halt, the Wolverine was right in front of the nursery great claws tearing through the protecting brambles. "Jaylight and her kits are in there!"

"No!" Moonlightspirit shouted. Without warning, she launched herself at the wolverine and started battling it.

Roaring the wolverine reared onto it's hind legs. Rainbowlily gasped in shock as two brilliant wing exploded from it's back, throwing Moonlightspirit across the clearing.

"Stupid wolverines..." Moonlightspirit said.

The Wolverine dove back into the nursery. To Rainbowlily's horror she heard a terrible scream. "FAWNDAPPLE!"

"That doesn't sound good."

Rainbowlily yowled in fury and terror. Lunging forward she leaped, spreading her wings for lift. She landed on the Wolverine's back, digging her claws into it's thick pelt.

Moonlightspirit distracted the wolverine from her friend ....which was easy because they were relatively the same size.

Rainbowlily clawed her way up the Wolverine's neck and jumped onto it's muzzle, slashing at it's eyes.

"Nice one!" Moonlightspirit used the surprise of the Wolverine to slash at it's throat.

Rainbowlily leaped off the Wolverine's nose and landed next to Moonlightspirit, spinning around she slashed at it's nose. "GET OUT OF HERE!" With a yelp the Wolverine turned and stumbled into the air flying off over the trees.

Rainbowlily whirled around and vanished into the nursery. After a minute her yowl of anguish sounded over the camp.

"Rainbowlily, need help?"

Rainbowlily staggered out of the nursery and huddled on the ground, her eyes blank and staring.

"What...happened?"

Rainbowlily seemed not to hear Moonlightspirit, her eyes were blank and staring as she was lost in her past. Images ran past her eyes. Her mother and sisters killed by a fox. The body of her father torn and battered being brought into camp. Two kits a wolverine... claws."

"Rainbowlily, snap out of it. " Moonlightsppirit couldn't help feeling terror creep through her as she remembered when the wolverine had nearly eaten her kits."

Soulheart, the senior deputy ducked past Rainbowlily and into the nursery. After a few minutes she came back out, head bowed. "Jaylight and her kits are fine but Fawndapple..." She shook her head. "She was killed."

Moonlightspirit bowed her head too. "StarClan will welcome her greatly and sadly at the same time."

Rainbowlily shook her head, snapping out of her flashback. She stood up her eyes cold. "That does it." Turning she bounded toward the entrance tunnel.

"What's got your tail in a knot?"

Rainbowlily spun around, her eyes cold. "My mother and sisters were killed by a fox I could do nothing. My father was murdered by Rogues. Again I could do nothing. Now my best friend has been killed by a Wolverine. This time I am going to do something about it!"

"Are you mouse-brained?! Wolverines are dangerous. The last time we had a wolverine attack was before you were born."

"You mean when that creature attacked your kits? I was an apprentice then." Rainbowlily spun around ad darted into the tunnel.

"Rainbowlily, please! You have no idea what kind o danger you're heading into...it's a trap."

Rainbowlily growled. "Trap or no that Wolverine is done for!"

"Rainbowlily...this is serious. You know as well as I do that I can see the future." She turned to Soulheart. "Help me, Soulheart."

Soulheart shuddered. "I would but she is already out of my reach."

"What she didn't stay to listen for is that the wolverine will lead her to a trap...a pack of wolverines waiting for their next meal. She's got a honeycomb in her brain if she's going to try to get revenge. We have to stop her. We just have to catch her and I'll do the rest."

Soulheart nodded. "Lead the way."

"What she didn't stay to listen for is that the wolverine will lead her to a trap...a pack of wolverines waiting for their next meal. She's got a honeycomb in her brain if she's going to try to get revenge. We have to stop her. We just have to catch her and I'll do the rest."

Soulheart nodded. "You lead the way. We'll have to move fast to catch her. She has revenge and grief lending wings to her paws."

"Tell me about it." Moonlightspirit sighed. She lead the deputy to the clearing right before the one Rainbowlily was in.

From behind them came a horrible yowling-roaring noise.

"Stupid wolverines."

Rainbowlily yowled a challenge. "You'll pay for what you did!"

"Rainbowlily, stop! This is a trap. I'm not lying and would never lie to you. Would you like to be some wolverine's midnight snack?"

Rainbowlily hidden behind some bushes, yowled again. "This is no trap it's just a Wolverine and it's cubs!"

"If you continue on with your endeavor, you will find out that it's not," Moonlightspirit said, thinly masking a threat.

Rainbowlily yowled again. "No I mean I'm fighting them right now!"

"I'm warning you, Rainbowlily...it's a trap. I'm not lying. If you want to find out, that's up to you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Rainbowlily came scrambling out of the bushes a furious Wolverine on her tail.

"I told you it was a trap. Wolverines are hostile and this one wants to eat you."

Rainbowlily spun around and slashed her claws across the Wolverine's face. "It's the same one! See! The wings!"

"Rainbowlily...it's a trap. If you continue, it'll be too late. StarClan will get revenge."

Rainbowlily pounced on the Wolverine's back. "Oh I'm not going anywhere I'm just going to destroy this one!"

"Rainbowlily! Get away from that wolverine..." A dark object emerged from the wolverine. "...it's possessed."

Rainbowlily yowled with fury as the dark shape of a warrior materialized before her. "Hawksnarl! I should have known!"

"Good grief," Moonlightspirit muttered. She hated that particular Dark Forest cats.
Rainbowlily growled, her eyes glowing with bright color. "Get out of here MURDERER!"

A silvery cat appeared before the angry she-cat. It was Silverstorm, a StarClan cat."Rainbowlily...you must go. Listen to Moonspirit."

Rainbowlily turned with a snarl. "This murderer is mine! I know how to deal with him!"

"You must not do this....it'll change your destiny for good."

Rainbowlily shook her head. "Maybe for the better!" She turned and launched herself at Hawksnarl.

"Rainbowlily...you can take that risk! Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to the Dark Forest. You have dreams of becoming to leader of BrightClan, but Hawksnarl will change that. You will end up in the Dark Forest. Moonlightspirit can see both outcomes. You must listen to her. She is older and wiser than you."

Rainbowlily leaped over HAwksnarl, heading for the mutated Wolverine

Moonlightspirit looked desperately at Silverstorm. "thanks for your help...but I think she is too far gone for us to retrieve her. I can see that she will not make it to StarClan now."

Rainbowlily sprang onto the Wolverine's throat, tearing into it's fur she exposed a dark band of shadow that circled around the throat. Slashing with her claws Rainbowlily severed the cord. Hawksnarl shrieked in pain and vanished in a blast of shadow. Exhausted Rainbowlily dropped to the ground.

Silverstorm hovered over to the cat. "Rainbowlily, you have been lured into a trap. Be warned: you will have only one chance to redeem yourself." She vanished.

Rainbowlily got to her feet, shaking her head. "What trap I just got rid of Hawksnarl."

"You would never understand." Moonlightspirit said. "It's very complicated."

Rainbowlily placed her paw on the fallen Wolverine's head. "This Wolverine was dying and in pain. Hawksnarl was using it as a puppet. By cutting the shadow cord I broke his control.

"It's a deadly trap and when you dream you'll realize why.It's not about breaking Hawksnarl's control. It's about what Dark Forest will do after. You can't get involved with that. When Dark Forest finds out what you did to him, they'll want to recruit you to keep you from doing it again." Moonlightspirit's eyes went up a notch in intensity. "My son got mixed up in that stuff and you'd better not."
Rainbowlily's eyes hardened. "If Dark Forest so much as come five steps near my dreams!" Her threat trailed off as her ears shot straight up.

"What now?"


Rainbowlily's eyes widened. "Can you hear that cracking noise?"

"Yes."

Rainbowlily spun around and raced back toward the camp. "We have to warn the Clan! The Dam is breaking!"

"Not again! We repaired it last new leaf and it's breaking!"

Rainbowlily pounded down the path. "Yes and by the sound of it it's almost gone! We have to get the clan down into Lake Cavern and have the Mercat's take us to their camp!"

Moonlightspirit nodded and ran toward the camp. "Evacuate! The dam broke! Down to Lake cavern!"

Rainbowlily gasped as she remembered. "The Cubs!" Whirling about she darted out of the camp again. "Keep going I'll be back shortly!"

Moonlightspirit glanced at Soulheart. "That's the redemption."

Rainbowlily charged through the undergrowth and sprang into a low den. Two Wolverine cubs huddled at the back, small wings pressed tight to their sides. "Move little ones!" She urged, shoving them with her wings. "We must go and fast!"

"Where are you going to take them. They're wolverines!"

Rainbowlily jumped whirled around. "Where did you spring from!"

"I was here the whole time. We followed you."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Then we'd better move that dam is going to give way!" Wings outspread she herded the cubs out of the den.

Moonlightspirit took to the air. "What about the clan? They'll be worried."

Rainbowlily turned around and gasped, A huge wall of water was racing toward them. "Hopefully they'll be safe HURRY!" She turned and tore down the path, shoving the cubs ahead of her.

To test her reaction, Moonlightspirit said: "You can't take them with us to the Lake Cavern...they'd eat the kits!"

Ranibowlily shook her head. "No they won't they're just young cubs they don't eat solid food yet."

"Good point but they could accidentally kill them."

Rainbowlily bounded into camp. "No time we have to get to Lake Cavern and underwater before that wave hits!"

"Then they are your responsibility. If anyone gets hurt because of them you will have to deal with them."

Rainbowlilt shot down the tunnel. "Underwater? They will hardly be able to move."

"They will be fine if they're in one of the air pockets."

Rainbowlily darted into lake cavern. Three Mercat waited at the far side. One of them a Rainbow female beckoned urgently. "Come on hurry!"

Moonlightspirit followed them and closed her eyes for a moment, digging into the future. She saw Rainbowlily as the key to peace with the wolverines. She smiled with contentment.

Rainbowlily scrambled forward. "Hurry!" She leaped into the water.

"Sorry...just seeing into the future." She dived in after her.

Two Mercats swam forward. both brought their paws together and spoke a word. Four bubbles of air sprang from their outspread paws and covered the noses and mouth of the four others.

"Very useful to know Mercats..." Moonlightspirit said thoughtfully.

Rainbowlily spun around in the water. "I'm going to go help rebuild the dam."

"It's not safe to go up yet! You'll die!"

Rainbowlily shook her head. "The dam is still underwater we have to repair it before the water does serious damage to the land."

"Sparkingstar will want to take a head count first."

Rainbowlily nodded. "I suppose they'll be in the Mercat's camp."

"Let's go find them."

Rainbowdancer turned and swam down toward the bottom of the lake.

"We'd better follow Rainbowdancer."

Rainbowlily sped after Rainbowdancer who led them into a kelp forest.

"It's beautiful here."

Rainbowlily yelped as a kelp frond smacked into her face.

Starlightthunder laughed. "I guess the kelp doesn't like you!"

Rainbowlily shook her head. "I don't like it!" She growled as they swam into camp.

"You might have to."

Sparkingstar spun around as they swam in. "Good I was getting worried are you three alright?"

"Yes...we picked up a couple of things along the way." She looked at the wolverine cubs.

Sparkingstar spun away, chasing after a runaway apprentice. Rainbowlily also turned and swam up toward the surface. "Now I'm going to go help with the dam."

"I'm going to see if one of the queens will suckle them until we get back to our territory and find their mother."

Rainbowlily stopped swimming and sighed. "I think that other Winged Wolverine was their mother."

"Which other one? I only saw the one. I didn't know one wolverine could fly, let alone two."

"The one Hawksnarl possessed that was the one that attacked the camp I tracked it to it's den."

"There was only one?"

Rainbowlily nodded. "Yes the others must have been deeper in the forest."

"Great...we find out that there are mutated wolverines that can fly and there's more!"

Ranibowlily started swimming again. "Who knows with Wolverines."

"Can anyone communicate with them?"

Rainbowlily dipped her head. "Fawndapple could have."

"If only she were here..."

Rainbowlily's head shot up. "Wait when Hawksnarl attacked the camp he could have killed Jaylight and her kits instead he only killed Fawndapple!"

"Great! Someone was thinking ahead instead of me. I should have known...I could have protected her."

Rainbowlily broke for the surface. "Hawksnarl planned all this! He meant for me to kill the cubs and then the Wolverines would attack! Fawndapple was the bait!"

"We need to return them, then. Got any brilliant ideas."

Rainbowlily shrugged. "Finding them is the first thing."

"They're with the queens...I sent them there to suckle."

Rainbowlily giggled. "I meant the other Wolverines."

Moonlightspirit saw ahead. :"They're going to be in Jungle Hollow soon. We can beat them there if we leave now."

Rainbowlily nodded. "We just need the Wolverine cubs."

"Exactly. Like I said, they're with the queens."

Rainbowlily nodded, turning she sped back down into the camp. A moment later the Rainbow she-cat came back with the cubs. "Got them."

"Let's get to those wolverines. She swam back to the surface.

Rainbowlily followed. "Jungle hollow should be underwater about two tree-lengths from here. It's sheltered so the water would not have flooded it."

"I don't think the cubs want to go for another swim today."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Neither do I but we have to if we want to get into Jungle Hollow."

"There's a shortcut that shouldn't have as much water. I stumbled upon it when I was an apprentice."

Rainbowlily grinned. "Where is it?"

"This way." Moonlightspirit led them threw the watery forest and were soon at Jungle Hollow. "I told you I knew a short cut. I could navigate my way through this forest if I were asleep."

Rainbowlily stepped forward, peering into the trees. "Hello?" She called.

"Wolverines! We have your cubs! We come in peace! Please don't rip us to shreds!"

There was a growling and an huge male WOlverine padded out of the shadows.

"We come in peace."

Rainbowlily nudged the two cubs forward, yapping they ran over to the other Wolverine.

"That was easy."

The male Wolverine looked up and growled.

Moonlightspirit turned to Rainbowlily. "Any guess at what he just said?"

A voice came from behind them. "He asked what happened to their mother."

Moonlightspirit turned around. "Fawndapple!"

The beautiful she-cat nodded, her eyes happy but sad at the same time. "Yes."

"It's good to see you...can you tell thee wolverine that she was possessed by a bad spirit and we don't know where she is."

Fawndapple shook her head. "No you must tell him."

"One problem: I don't speak wolverine."

Fawndapple stepped forward, her fur starting to glow with the light of a thousand stars. "I have been given the power to give my gift to others." She said, her voice echoing around Jungle Hollow. "Use it well." So saying Fawndapple stepped forward. Rising onto her hind legs she slashed down twice with one of her paws, claws unsheathed. Her claws scored a small cut on first Moonlightspirit then Rainbowlily's foreheads. With a flash of light Fawndapple vanished.

She turned to the wolverine. "The mother was possessed by a bad spirit...I don't know where she is."

The male growled. "What bad spirit was this?"
"An evil spirit from one of the dead cats from our clan. He possessed her."

The Wolverine growled sadly. "She was my mate."

"There's still a possibility she survived the flood. However, she was weak after the spirit possessed her...did she know how to swim?"

The male Wolverine nodded. "Yes."

"She could have survived, then." She closed her eyes. "She did survive the flood and she's not far from here."

Rainbowlily smiled. "Good I thought I had killed her when I broke Hawksnarl's control."

"We should hurry though. She may not have much longer unless we can heal her spirit and injuries."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Where is she?"

She pointed past the wolverine's left shoulder. She's a few tree lengths past the hollow."

Rainbowlily bounded forward. "I know a tunnel that will take us there!"

"A few tree lengths isn't that far though."
Rainbowlily nodded. "But remember the forest is underwater."

"Right...show the way then unless the tunnel is under water,too.. The female is not underwater...she's on dry land."

Rainbowlily pulled some bracken aside, revealing a tunnel. "Here."

"Is it underwater?"

Rainbowlily shook her head. "No."

"Okay...let's go then."

Rainbowlily padded into the tunnel.

"How do you know where to go?"

Rainbowlily looked back, her eyes quizzical. "Can't you see that humming up ahead?"

"No."

Rainbowlily shrugged. "I thought all of us could it's coming from over there." She pointed down another tunnel.

"Maybe it's something that comes with only your power."


Rainbowlily smiled. "Maybe."

"How far are we from the end?"

"About a treelength."

"Okay."

Rainbowlily bounded along the tunnel. "The Wolverine is right in front of us."

Moonlightthunder bounded out of the tunnel. "She's still alive."

Rainbowlily pressed a paw to the Wolverine's neck. "Just barely."

"Can you heal? You know I can't."

Rainbowlily nodded slightly. "Yes I can."

Moonlightspirit stepped back. "This is your situation then."

Rainbowlily stepped forward, pressing her forehead to the Wolverine's she started to hum.

While Rainbowlily was working, she scanned Vnefrost's memory to make sure Hawkclaw hadn't struck.

Rainbowlily stepped back, her eyes tired. "That should do it she'll wake up soon."

"Okay. ANything left undone?"

Rainbowlily nodded. "We should help fix the dam."

"We should get back there then."

Rainbowlily jumped into the air, her wings flashed and she soared upward.

"I thought you were tired," Moonlightspirit teased.

Rainbowlily nodded. "Even so we have to fix the dame so the water will drain away."

"Sparkingstar will be organizing cats for that all ready."

Rainbowlily nodded. "If we hurry we can make it there in time to help."

"We're going to have to swim...might as well start right now." Moonlightspirit dove in.

Rainbowlily smiled. "We can fly up into the hills where the dam is situated."

Moonlightspirit dragged herself out of the water. "I know. I don't get to swim often though."

Rainbowlily dove into the water. "Let's swim then!"

"I haven't ligitly swam in awhile..."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Neither have I."

"There's the dam."

Raqinbowlily rose into he air. "Split right down the middle just like last time."

"That should be easy to repair...after all, we've done it before."

Rainbowlily nodded. "Yes."

"I forgot...what's the dam made of....?"

"Logs and Stones which the Mercats sever with magic and lay across the lake opening."

"That's helpful."

Rainbowlily nodded. "We can help with sealing up the gaps."

"True. There are some stones we can use."

Rainbowlily nodded. "The hard part will be making sure it holds for a longer time."

"You could stuff sap in there."

Rainbowlily grinned. "I meant the entire dam."

"I know...I thought that maybe wee could use something sticky like sap to hold it together."

Rainbowlily nodded. "We could tell the Mercats to try that."

"You go tell them."
Rainbowlily stuck her head underwater and sang a few sentances before popping back up. "Done."

"Hey...do you know where Vineforst is? I need to talk to him."

Rainbowlily shrugged. "Probably in the Mercat camp."

Moonlighttunder dove into the water and swam down there. She saw Vinefrost standing there keeping the kits under control. "Vinefrost!"

Rainbowlily hung back, turning she stared into the shadows. "Are you there Darkheart." She murmured. "Are you watching us."

Vineforst looked up, murmured to the kits, and went to see his mate. He nuzzled her. "Good to see you back. What's going on?"

Rainbowlily swam down into the shadows and sat down on a rock, waiting.

"Did Hawkclaw try to attack you?"

Rainbowlily felt the water swish next to her and looked around to see a pure black tom with a silver mark on his forehead and a blue underbelly sitting next to her.

"No but he kept whispering: soon."

Raibowlily purred, nuzzling the other cat. "Is everything okay back in that place?"

"Not to soon I hope. I would warn Sparkingstar...but she's not going to have someone guard you all day....I'll protect you myself."

The other cat nodded, purring as he touched noses with Rainbowlily. "It's okay Hawkclaw is itching to spring an attack on your friends but I'm stalling him as long as possible."

VInefrost shrugged. "I'll be fine. He's not that intent on killing me is he...?" A glare from Moonlightspirit gave him the answer.

"And Watershamrock had better not be telling Rainbowlily about this. She promised and Rainbowlily doesn't need to know that. She's too young to understand why Hawkclaw wants my life and powers."

Rainbowlily leaned against Darkheart's side. "Hawksnarl tried again to destroy me and all I cared about." She said softly. "He killed Fawndapple how many more lives is he going to take to get revenge on me?"

"don't worry about me, Moonlightspirit. I'll be fine."

Darkheart sighed. "Hawksnarl is one cat that always slips past me. I'm sorry."

Moonlightspirit's eyes filled with worry. "I can't. He promised he'd hurt me in the worst way possible last time he tried to do something. He's been trying to bypass Songfissure's protection since I was a kit. I don't want to lose you. You calm me."

Rainbowlily smiled sadly, twining her tail with Darkhearts. "Don't be, it's not your fault Hawksnarl is as evil as he is."

Vinefrost smiled weakly. "Don't let that worry you. You already have a lot on your shoulders."

Darkheart nodded. "I at least managed to stop him from seizing Fawndapple's spirit before it reached Starclan. He never knew it was me who pushed him into the bramble bush."

"I know...it makes me feel older. You must promise you'll never tell Rainbowlily about this or our kits. It's juts too complicated."

Rainbowlily purred. "And I am eternally grateful to you for that."

Vinefrost nodded. "I won't tell them." He nuzzled her again and walked back to the kits. Moonlightspirit swam back to the surface.

Darkheart placed his paw on top of Rainbowlily's. "You must promise me something Rainbowlily." he said sternly. She looked at him. "What?" "Do not reveal not even to your friend about the kits lest Hawksnarl and Hawkclaw find out and use that knowledge against both of us."

Moonlightspirit gazed around. "Rainbowlily?"

Rainbowlily nodded. "I understand. I promise."

Moonlightthunder shouted: "Rainbowlily, where'd you go?"

Rainbowlily stood up, stretching her wings. "Anything else I should know about?"

Moonlightspirit looked around and found her. "Rainbowlily! There you are."
Rainbowlily wheeled around. "AHH Moonlightspirit!"

"There you are! I was looking for you. I just finished talking to Vinefrost."

Rainbowlily spread her wings in an effort to hide Darkheart. "He was okay then?"

"Yeah..." Moonlightthunder narrowed her eyes.

Rainbowlily backed up. "Darkheart go!" She whispered. Darkheart shook his head. "I can't!" He murmured. "If I go back now no telling what they might discover!"

"What are you hiding?"

Rainbowlily backed up farther, shoving Darkheart into the shadows. "Nothing." She concentrated on that one thought, projecting a mental shield around herself.

Moonlightspirit's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure about that?"

Rainbowlily nodded. "Yes." Just then Darkheart sneezed violently from behind her."
"Something's behind you...I know it. Don't lie. You know how I can find out and no one likes that. the apprentices hate it." (referring to her power)


Rainbowlily eyes hardened. "NO! My Secrets are mine alone!!" She lunged forward snarling. "Darkheart RUN!" Rainbowlily yelled. She unsheathed her claws and hissed a warning, showing all her fangs.

Moonlightthunder jumped back as she bent Rainbowlily's memories to her will (aka she's looking at them...just a more creative way of saying it). "Darkheart?!" Her eyes narrowed. "Of all spirits you choose to hang with, you choose him...he's an evil cat...can't you see that!"

Rainbowlily hissed, backing up she raised her paw, claws outspread. "He may be of Dark Forest but he is not as evil as you think!"

"Are you so sure about that? You have to be pretty bad to get to Dark Forest? Besides, I know him well enough..."

Rainbowlily snarled. I am sure and Darkheart has never come to this place before!"

"Darkheart is a particularly nasty Dark Forest warrior...he and another one of their kind tried to kill me many moons ago."

Rainbowlily hissed. "Never!"

"He did...but he wouldn't tell you that," Moonlightthunder scoffed. She glared at Darkheart (is he running or still there?) "He wouldn't want you have any reason not to trust him. Beside, that happened before you were born and I keep those things to myself."

Darkheart stepped forward. "That was not me. It was my brother Shiftinghate he has the ability to change his appearance and he frequently poses at me. And no Rainbowlily has no reason not to trust me. For just as you have a Starclan cat to protect you she has a Dark Forest Cat to protect her."

"I smelled your sent and checked the memories...none of you can shield them from me...and you know that...that's how I knew it was you, not your brother. I don't trust Dark Forest cats. Period."

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Darkheart hissed. "You are just like the others! I hate Dark Forest and every cat in it! Why I protect anyone from them is beyond me!"

Moonlightthunder's eyes grew icy. "You know that even a shape shifter can't taken on the memories of it's current form. I know what I saw. You and Hawkclaw were there and delighted in tormenting me. Both of you are so amazed by my power that you would like it for yourself. I'm not blind. You've been Hawkclaw's sidekick in his enterprises to hurt me for as long as I could remember."
Darkheart shrieked in fury. "He may be my kin but I am not him! I have my own power! Why would I want yours!"

"Once you have lots of power, cats like you tend to want more. You told Hawkclaw yourself that my power had many uses provided you captured it from me. I know exactly why your in Dark Forest and I'm glad you're there."

Darkheart yowled. "Sure I said that! Did I mean it?! NO! I have to say things like that so Hawkclaw and Hawksnarl won't kill me! The reason I'm in Dark Forest is for the act of saving a kit from a fire!"

Moonlightspirit's eyes narrowed. "Mm hm. You're the reason there was a fire...in fact you pushed the kit in and then thought twice about it and rescued it to make yourself look good. If you are trying to make them not kill you, then why were you acting joyful about my death while no one was there to listen to you...not even eavesdrop? Why peruse my death if you are conspiring with Hawkclaw?"

Darkheart tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Why are you working with Hawkclaw then? Hawkclaw has wanted me dead since he knew about me. Songfissur is the only reason I'm alive. Every cat has a motive. Fess up or I'll find out."

DArkhert smiled. "My motive? I love Rainbowlily. It's as simple as that. I have agreed to protect you and her other friends from the cats in Dark Forest."

Moonlightspirit snorted. "Hmph! That's not all...I know it without even looking at your memories." Sh added: "I don't trust Dark Forest cats. Songfissure's enough protection."

Darkheart's eyes narrowed. "I died saving my little sister from a fire Hawksnarl started. I think you know her."

"Yeah...but you pushed her in because you thought your mother liked her better...wait a minute, who's your sister?"

Darkheart smiled. "Her name is Songfissure."

"I know that...you're my mother's sister too! I'm not talking about them, you moron (pardon my French)...the sister from your mother's litter later in her life then them!"

Darkheart sat down on the ledge. "I don't know what you are talking about. My sister is Songfissure she's the one I saved from that fire."

"I'm not talking about Songfissure...your mother had another kit...she tried to hide her from you fearing that you killed her...her name was Crystallinekit...you pushed her into the fire when she tried to follow you out of camp. I can see it all right here in your mind."

Darkheart snarled. "Look more carefully Moonlightspirit. I was not alone." He tapped his paw on the ground and a fire flared up under Moonlightspirit."

"I am!" Moonlightspirit growled. "Songfissure was dead by the time of this incident and so was Hawclaw and Hawksnarl. You did it for them to get in on what they were trying to do. I'm not blind nor am I deaf or ignorant. Crystallinekit was not supposed to die that night...in fact she was supposed to live and mentor me."

Darkheart smiled. "And she did. That fire I shoved her into was merely an illusion to protect her from Hawkclaw and Hawksnarl. She lived under a different name."

"I would have seen it in a memory. She died...I have seen her in StarClan myself."

Darkheart nodded. "She died later but not of my doing."

"Are you sure? I've asked Crystallinekit myself. She died because you pushed her in. Songfissure was the one who took her to StarClan."

Darkheart nodded again. "I am sure. I died saving her from another fire. She was left in camp by mistake. I went back for her but the fire blocked our escape. I went through the trees until I reached a small cave and pushed her inside. But I couldn't hold on and I fell into the the flames. Hawksnarl came and dragged me into Dark Forest before I had a chance to do anything else."

"You're lying, Darkheart. I've checked every last memory...you never died in a forest fire. You were killed in a battle in which you tried to kill a warrior from another clan for whatever island. Do not lie to me!"

Darkheart opened his mouth to reply. With a yowl Rainbowlily sprang between them. "Stop it both of you!"

Moonlightspirit turned to her friend and growled: "What?"

Rainbowlily stared back fiercely, reaching out her paw she tapped both Moonlightspirit and Darkheart on the chest. Where her paw touched a clear white light glowed. "Your hearts are both pure. Can't you see this is what Hawksnarl and Hawkclaw want? Can't you feel them nearby watching us?"

"I still don't trust Dark Forest cats!" Moonlightspirit retorted. "Especially one working with Hawkclaw...he's tried to kill me more times then I'd like to count," she concluded bitterly.

A wicked laugh came from somewhere close by. "True." Another voice spoke right after. "True." Rainbowlily whipped around. "Hawksnarl!"

Hawkclaw appeared as well. "Greetings, Moonlightthunder. Long time no see."
"Great!" Moonlightthunder muttered. "Just what I need...a vist from Hawkclaw."


Hawksnarl appeared next to Hawkclaw. "Don't worry." He sneered. "We're not here for you."

Moonlightspirit's eyes filled with anger. "I'm aware of that...I've been aware of that for quite sometime..."

Hawkclaw smirked. "Not the one you have in mind." He shoved Hawksnarl. The other tom bounded forward a pace and slapped his paw on the stone. Instantly a rope of darkness shot out of nowhere and seized Rainbowlily in an iron grip.

"Is that your ideas of breaking me?" Moonlightspirit said, amused for a moment. She suddenly wished she had a
Darkheart growled and sprang at Hawksnarl who wheeled around and tapped his paw on the ground. Instantly another black vine sprang up and seized Darkheart, throwing him aside. "Hawksnarl you fool!" Hawkclaw growled. "Get us out of here!"

As the two Dark Forest cats scrambled around, she tried to read their memories...catching glimpses of different scenes. Both toms were paralyzed.


Another cat appeared out of nowhere. With a yowl he protected a wave of mental force at Moonlightspirit.


Moonlightspirit held on. Her strength was great with reading memories because she had practiced a lot.

The dark cat snarled. "You are stronger then I realized." With a yowl he lunged forward and sank his claws into Moonlightspirit's shoulder.

Moonlightspirit ignored the pain. That came with practice too.

Hawkclaw shook his head. "Hawksnarl NOW!"

Moonlightthunder finally found the memory she needed. She projected the cat's most painful memory for him to relive.

Hawkclaw yowled in pain, clawing his head. Hawksnarl closed his eyes a brillant light flashed around them and all three of the Dark Forest cats vanished, dragging Rainbowlily with them. "NO!" Darkheart yowled.

Moonlightspirit opened her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered. She turned to Darkheart. "What did they do to her?"

Darkheart lunged forward and seemed to bounce off mid-air. "They took her into Dark Forest and closed the path behind them!"

"There's another way in."

Darkheart nodded. "Yes I can take us both but it will be dangerous. In Dark Forest things are not always what they seem."

"I'm very aware of that...how do you think I got this?" She pointed to a scar on her shoulder.

Darkheart tilted his head. "You have been to Dark Forest?"

"Yes...on a mission from StarClan."

Darkheart shuddered. "What am i thinking it doesn't matter right now! Rainbowlily's in danger if I know my kin!"

"Well let's go. I know a way in."

Darkheart shook his head. "Hawksnarl has closed most of the Gateways including that one. I know a secret one he did not close."

"He cannot close the ones where StarClan can enter."

"You are not of Starclan."

"I may not be of StarClan, but because of what happened the night I was born, I have my ways."

Darkheart dipped his head. "True. Now are we going to stand here talking or are we going into Dark Forest?"

"Put your paw on mine and let's go."

Darkheart shook his head. "No way. I don't trust you as far long as you view me a Dark Forest Cat. I'll jump on my own."

"It's the only way you can enter StarClan because you're a Dark Forest cat. You cannot enter without permission."

Darkheart tilted his head. "Who said anything about entering Starclan? I can leap straight into Dark Forest."

"I forgot about that. I feel safer going through StarClan. By the way, what's wrong with her?"

"With who?"

"Rainbowlily. She isn't exactly herself...like she's sick or something. I started noticing that yesterday."

Darkheart glanced away. "Maybe she's just worried about something. We should hurry before Hawksnarl and Hawkclaw do something bad to her."

"I'm not talking about emotionally!"

Darkheart lifted his head and stared at Moonlightspirit. "I cant tell you."
"You may not choose to tell me but I can find out and there's nothing you can do about it. Tell me before we do it my way."

"I cannot tell you. Someone is listening." With those words Darkheart leaped forward and vanished into thin air.

"Hey! Where are you going?!"

Darkheart stuck his head out of thin air. "Dark Forest of course." He held out his aw. "Come on."

Moonlightthunder gazed coldly at him. "If you try to double-cross me I'll oil you...just so you know."

Darkheart hissed. "We are wasting time. Come on if you don't touch my paw I can't pull you through."

Moonlightthunder touched his paw and said coldly. "I'm just letting you know what will happen if you decide to double-cross me."

Darkheart closed his claws over Moonlightspirit's paw, shutting his eyes he stepped back, pulling Moonlightspirit into Dark Forest with him.

"Can you tell where she is?"




Darkheart nodded briefly. "There is only one place they would take her." He took off bounding through the Dark Trees. "Follow me!"

Moonlightthunder reluctantly followed him. "Where's that?"

"The Dark Stone."

"The Dark Stone? What's that?"

Darkheart shuddered. "Something very evil. They will use it to summon Rainbowlily's power."

"Oh. Is there anything else I should know?"

Darkheart glanced away. "No..."

Moonlightthunder gave him a long. "Talk fast or I will search your memories."

Darkheart hissed softly. "Alright! Rainbowlily's power is deadly if they manage to take control of her then we are doomed!"

Moonlightthunder's shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "Not that. I already knew that. It would be the same situation for me. It's something else."

Darkheart leaped over a bush. "She wouldn't want me to tell you."

Moonlightspirit rolled her eyes. "Sure," Sh said, not believing him. "She would tell me if she could."

Darkheart looked at Moonlightspirit. "What are you implying?"

"You were talking to her while I went to talk to my mate. There's something you're not telling me...something you don't want me to now for whatever crazy reason."

Darkheart skidded to a stop and whirled to face Moonlightspirit. "Fine I'll tell you!"

Moonlightspirit bid him to continue.

Darkheart's eyes sparked. "Rainbowlily's going to have kits! Soon!"

Moonlightspirit nodded thoughtfully. "I thought so...anyone could have guessed given some time."

Darkheart turned away and continued running. "So why'd you badger me for that information then?"

"Because I felt like more than one life was in danger."

Darkheart nodded. "If they manage to unleash her. Rainbowlily will be destroyed."

Moonlightspirit glanced at him. "i meant the kits."

Darkheart looked at her. "Them as well along with all of us."

"Let's get to saving them so I can find out how Rainbowlily got into this."

Darkheart nodded, turning he continued running. After a few minutes he skidded to a stop. "We are here."

Moonlightspirit looked around. "There's not much to it."

Darkheart hissed. "This isn't the Dark Stone. That is!" He pointed across the clearing to where Rainbowlily lay, bounded to a large jet black rock.

Moonlightspirit paled. "Game plan?"

Darkheart bounded forward. "Get her out of there before those other two manage to unleash Her!"

"Why!? You wouldn't have dragged me along if we were going to run! Why did you bring me then? So I could be captured too? StarClan is doomed if they know what secrets I possess!"

Darkheart looked at her. "I forgot you don't know. I would never betray Rainbowliliy!" He sprinted across the clearing toward Rainbowliliy.

"We'll see about that. I don't exactly trust you yet."

Darkheart stopped once more. "Would you ever betray Vinefrost." He growled.

"Absolutely not. If you saw what has happened to me in this life, you wouldn't have to ask that question."

Darkheart dipped his head. "Then you know." He turned and slipped around the edge of the clearing toward Rainbowlily.

"Know what?"

Darkheart growled. "Why I wouldn't betray Rainbowlily or her kits!"

"And that is..."

Darkheart shook his head. "No matter! Are you coming or should I send you back to your own world!"

"I'm coming but if you purposely brought me here to get me captured as well, you're going to really regret it."

Darkheart slipped out of the bracken and bounded across to Rainbowlily. Upon seeing them Rainbowlily's eyes widened. "Get out of here She's coming back!"

"She?"

Darkheart cursed, wheeling around he leaped into the bushes. "Rainbowlily's other power!"

"Which is?"

"You'll see!"

"I'll see!?"

"Or get killed!" Bound to the stone Rainbowlily's eyes shot open and she began a high keening yowl as her pelt began to glow brighter and brighter.

"Tell me!"

Something started to shimmer around Rainbowlily and expand outwards. Darkheart pressed himself deeper into the reeds, his ears flat back against his head. "Her name is Darknesssong!"

"Who's Darknesssong?"

Darkheart stepped back. "She's a very powerful dark forest cat! Very old. She was said to posses the power of the entire universe!"

Moonlightspirit groaned.

The vines around Rainbowlily frayed and broke. Rainbowlily hovered into the air, her eyes glowing as the ghostly shape on a pure white cat appeared around her.

"Uh oh."

The pure white cat tossed her head back and yowled. Hovering in midair, suspended where Darknesssong's heart would have been, Rainbowlily copied the Spirit cat's movements. Adding her yowl to the others.

Moonlightspirit turned to Darkheart. "What do we do?"

"Get out of here!"
"Aren't we going to help her?"

"We can't! Not yet at least!

Lumar shrugged.

Luminara looked at Quantum as they walked in the forest. "What did I tell you about being careful with machinery?"


Valkyrie slapped a hand to her forehead.

Lumar suddenly staggered and sat down hard.

Sam swung the stallion around. He jumped down and made his way over to the mare.

Quantum shrugged. "Who cares? I didn't break it so chillax."

Valkyrie leaped forward. "You okay?"

Lumar shook his head. "Not.... sure!"

Luminara glared at Quantum. "Whatever I say goes in one ear and out the other."

Quantum just shrugged.
Luminara whacked her over the head.

"Hello?" Valkyrie called.

"What was that for?" Quantum asked angrily.
"For being a moron. You never listen to what you're not to do."

Valkyrie could still hear the voices.

"I'm not a moron," Quantum I insisted.

Ignoring her friends, she padded forward out of the bushes, nearly crashing straight into Luminara.

Luminara was about to reply, but a strange girl ran into her.

Valkyrie leaped back in shock.

"Who...who are you?"
Quantum looked at her. "She's talking to you."
"Shut up, Quantum."

Valkyrie eyed them. "My name's Valkyrie."

"I'm Luminara...and this slick-talking snow leopard here is Quantum. I'm getting the vibe that you aren't from around here. I think Quantum is sensing that you have some other friends around here somewhere."

She can see that Quantum has picked something up other than Valkyrie with her sniffer.

Valkyrie nodded slightly. She made a beckoning motion with her hand and the rest of her friends shoved out of the bushes behind her. Lumar was leaning on Batwolf and Whitefire, looking very dazed. Rigo gave a bound and leaped onto Valkyrie's shoulder, glaring at Luminara and Quantum.

Luminara was calm and stoic; however, Quantum, of course, was glaring.


Lumar shook his head and seemed to snap out of his haze, glaring back at Quantum.

"And why does everyone always start glaring at me?" Quantum voiced aloud, slightly annoyed. "It's as if you sense my personality."

Lumar grinned slightly. "Actually Quantum. I can, I'm psychic."

Quantum growled. "I hate psychics. When your type are around, I can't have my thoughts to myself." The giant talking snow leopard was suspicious. "And how the [word] do you know my name?"

Quantum doesn't trust psychics because of her last experience with them. Needless to say, that one ended up dead.

Lumar raised an eyebrow. "Are you partially deaf or just dense? I just said I'm physic! That includes seeing memories."

Quantum was now furious. "First of all, no one insults me...except Luminara. Second of all...STAY OUT OF MY HEAD!!!"

Lumar snorted. "Or what?" He closed his eyes for a second and a branch abruptly broke off a tree above them and fell onto Quantum's head.

Quantum didn't respond (nor did she think about her actions). She leaped at Lumar before Luminara could stop her.

Lumar abruptly vanished and reappeared behind Quantum. He whirled around and sent her flying with a blow from his tail before vanishing again.

Quantum growled with frustration.

Lumar reappeared in a tree, glaring down at Quantum.

Quantum, now wary of Lumar' powers, waited at the bottom of the tree.

Lumar continued glaring at her. "If you think I'm going to come down with you waiting there, you're an even bigger idiot than I first thought."

"I'm not an idiot!" Quantum hissed. "I'm smart enough to know that if I go up there, you'll teleport out of there."

A slightly nervous look flicked across Lumar's eyes.

"That's right, psychic. You should be scared," Quantum hissed.

Lumar snarled, showing all his fangs. "And what makes you say I'm scared of you!" He closed his eyes and levitated a large rock, dropping it onto Quantum's tail.

"That's it!" Quantum growled ferociously and pushed the rock off. "I can read expressions, dumb[word]!" She leaped up into Lumar's branch using her powerful wings. She slashed at Lumar and acid gleamed on her fangs.

That sent Quantum off the deep end. Luminara will be hard pressed to stop her.

Lumar leaped straight up into the air to avoid Quantum, diving over her back and landing on the ground.

Quantum spiraled down and hovered over Lumar. Acid dripped from her fangs and one drop hit Lumar.

Lumar yowled and his eyes sparked. Quantum was grabbed out of the air and thrown against a tree.

"It's on!" Quantum hissed. She unsheathed her diamond-hard claws and spat acid at Lumar.


Lumar dove to the side to avoid the acid. He whirled around to face Quantum. His claws glinting in the light.

Quantum hissed.

Someone should intervene soon.

Lumar snarled, he made a sweeping gesture and Quantum was sent flying into yet another tree.


Valkyrie will in a minute.

Quantum jumped out of the tree, claws extended and acid dripping. She slashed a claw across Lumar's chest.


Lumar shrieked and staggered back. His eyes abruptly flashing off and he crashed onto the ground. With a yell, Valkyrie ran forward, leaping between them. "ENOUGH!"

Quantum glared at Valkyrie and also at Luminara as she restrained her. She muttered some colorful words under her breath that earned her slap from Luminara...probably because of their profanity.

Valkyrie glared right back. "And I thought leaving Base Six was a good idea!"

Luminara glared at Quantum and apologized for her. "I'm sorry about Quantum...she doesn't like being 'insulted' and has a fiery temper along with a vulgar vocabulary. She doesn't normally react that way. She's never liked psychics, nor trusted them...since an incident a few years ago."

Valkyrie dipped her head slightly. "Sounds familiar. Lumar doesn't like anyone."

"Yep " Luminara agreed.

Valkyrie glanced back at Lumar

"Hopefully though, she won't cause too much trouble."
Lumar was still glaring at Quantum, even though he looked like he could barely stand. Blood spread through his fur from the gash on his chest.

Lumar suddenly staggered and crashed onto the ground.

Luminara cast a glance at Quantum. "Okay, Quantum. What did you do to Lumar?"
"Not much. I only used my claws and the acid."


Valkyrie uttered a curse and whirled around, running over to help her friend.


Luminara looked slightly relieved at Quantum's response.

Valkyrie knelt next to Lumar. "It's not her fault. They did something to Lumar back at Base Six. It's been slowly killing him for a while now. Same with me, though it hits me in a different way."

Quantum gave Luminara a 'what the [word] is wrong with those people?' look.
Luminara shot back a 'shut up and keep silent' look.


Valkyrie helped Lumar upright. "We should go, before anything else happens."

"Do you need shelter? Refuge?"
Quantum gave Luminara a 'please keep her outside a mile radius of me look'.
Luminara ignored the snow leopard.

Valkyrie glanced over at her. "Some help would be welcome, by me at least, if not some of my friends. A few of us are injured"

"Certainly. Follow me, then."
Quantum let out an exasperated and frustrated sigh.

Lumar glared at Valkyire. "Are you crazy?!" Valkyrie glared back. "I'm not the one who leaped into a fight I couldn't win!"

"Are you on drugs, Luminara?" Quantum hissed silently.
"No. You had better behave and treat our guests kindly or you'll have to deal with me."
Quantum growled at Luminara.
"Don't you go sassing me, Quantum."

Lumar growled and looked away. Valkyrie glared at him. "Don't you dare go attacking anyone, or the next time I go crazy I'll go after you!"

Quantum rolled here eyes, earning a slap in the rear end.

Lumar snickered.

Quantum turned around and glared at Lumar. She growled at her.

Lumar snarled. His eyes flashed and Quantum's tail was tied in a knot.

Quantum growled again and leaped at Lumar, scoring another slash.

Lumar yowled and whirled around, his tail slamming into Quantum's side and knocking her flying.

Quantum leaped back at Lumar.

Valkyrie leaped between them. "ENOUGH!" She grabbed both Lumar and Quantum and shoved them toward the back of the group. "You're going to hurt someone else if you keep fighting!"

Quantum looked disappointed and stuck out her tongue. "Like this is going to help," she muttered under her breath.

Lumar snarled at her. "If you so much as look at Valkyrie the wrong way you'll regret it!"

"If you touch me or even Luminara again with that [word] telepathic mind of yours, I'll kill you first chance I get!"


Lumar snorted. "Don't leave your mind wide open then! I can hear your thoughts from here and I'm not even listening!"

"I'm no psychic! I don know how the [word] to do that!"

"It's simple enough. Just envision a wall around your mind."

"Easy for you to say," Quantum scoffed, snorting and rolling her eyes.

Lumar snorted.

"Don't you snort at me! I have no psychic skills!"

Would it be beneficial for Quantum to explain at some point why she hates psychics...even though Lumar might have seen why?

"Neither does Rigo or Valkyrie and they still manage it."

He probably already knows.