Disclaimer: I do not own ElfQuest or it's characters, the Pini's do...
A mildly AU Story, actually written for a 'May Grab Bag Challenge', the story had to incorporate the following things: Hybrid/s, Shiny Object/s, A Bridge (figurative or literal), A Promise, To Make or Be Making something and A 'Mother's Day'.
See if you can find where I hid them all!^^
ENJOY!^^
By the Glinting of the Moon...
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Shining, shimmering...it hung there in the gloom and captivated all who saw it; the light reflected in her innocent eyes, and a tiny mouth parted in the curious amazement only a cub could possess...
She reached out a hand to touch it but...
"Uh, there you are! Silly, you can't play with Daddy's dagger, you'll cut yourself, Ember!" laughed the Stargazer as he held the feisty cub. He furrowed his brow, "I really should tell Cutter not to leave New Moon in your reach...cubling. Ah well, come on, we must go to see your mother, today is very special to her, after all!"
He hoisted the young cub, only just crawling, upon his shoulders, where she squealed with glee...
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Something was wrong, he couldn't shake the feeling...even through all the festivities that the combined tribes of Wolfrider and Sun Villagers, he could sense something wrong, foul...different moving in this place.
The lush greenery seemed to seep life, colours bleeding away as the feeling grew, and just as suddenly...it was gone.
There could not be a true explanation, but the Now rushed back to him in swift relief as Leetah came towards him, "Cutter, what is wrong, you seem...worried? Is it Skywise...? I am sure he is fine, Beloved, we would know if it were otherwise..."
He looked back to her and sighed, "I know, I...I just worry after him sometimes, Skywise canbe a little foolish on occasion...and this is the first time he has watched Ember solo..."
The desert-born Healer rubbed his rough, battle-worn hands with her own small, delicate ones, "He is well, Ember is much like him...they are well complemented...but if you worry too greatly, could we not simply send to him?"
Her luscious green eyes outshone anything in the forest with their green radiance as they gazed into his own, he saw the truth there, she trusted Skywise with their cub and that was enough.
Cutter shook his head, "No, if he needs us...he will call, but if something should happen..." His heart constricted greatly, "...we should know also..."
Nightfall moved to them, trailing ShenShen, who held a wide-eyed, wiggling cub in her arms, "He has had this strange expression for many a minute, sister! I do not understand it!" the Sun-Villager Maiden giggled.
Leetah took the golden-haired cub into her own arms, marveling at the beauty she, Cutter and Skywise had inspired...together, as Lifemates should...though she could swear to the High Ones, there was more of Skywise in their energetic daughter than either of them!
Barely able to speak, the child burbled at something, waving tiny fists at her in the frantic attempt to communicate his intentions to his mother; gently, she probed his mind, as only a parent could, searching for the answer to his distress...and gasped upon finding it.
Cutter saw her pretty eyes widen, arms losing their full grip on their cub; he snapped forwards like only a Wolfrider could and snatched the child from the air as he tumbled...Leetah remained shocked.
"It- It was his 'magic feeling' again, he sensed, something dark...twisted...evilwithin the woods...it came close, oh so close to us, but left for we were too strong to attack. It- it...High Ones help us, it sensed Skywise and Ember they don't know it is there!"
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Nightfall moved closer to her friend as Cutter comforted the sobbing child in his arms, "My friend, can you not warn him in time, or should we send out the hunt?"
Leetah looked at the Huntress with eyes wide, full of hope and equal parts, despair..."I-I will try, above all, they must be saved...Nightfall, will you do this for me? Hunt this creature should I fail...?"
The Huntress pressed a hand to her slightly rounded stomach, sensing Redlance following her movements with his eyes and looked directly into Leetah's own, "For what you have given us, Leetah, I would slay eight eights of creatures...I swear so." she turned to those assembled, "Pike, Strongbow, Dewshine...ready your wolves, we ride at once!"
Redlance came forwards for a tender moment, face and body asking what words could not, "No, my love, you may not come; your heart is too gentle and pure for what we must do...I will return!" she cried, as she swung onto her mount.
As she rode away, Nightfall could feel the anxious gazes of the Healer and Chieftain on her back, and spurred SweetSky even faster...
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It sensed the wrongness, the foulness of these creatures...as the Mistress commands, so they shall be slain to purify their Race...
Too many, too many yet existed here to take on or catch one by itself...the smell of their tainted blood was...was...ah, another course yet existed...
It sniffed the air, another scent, young and yet younger, two prizes for the Dark Lady Mistress...
In one motion, it left the gathering and ventured further into it's hunting grounds...seeking the young ones of tainted blood...
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She whimpered slightly, and he pulled the cub into his arms, "Hey, you feel that too? Something's not right...hold on cubling, we're going to have to move...fast..." he paused as a sending from distance pierced his thoughts, mind and soul; his lifemates cried out in fear for them.
**Skywise, return! Return swiftly with Ember, there is a creature in the forest that is hunting you!**
He flinched back at the desperation in their tone, *We are coming, fear not...Ember sensed it also, did Suntop...?*
*Yes, he sensed the creature. Please, come swiftly, Nightfall and her Hunters ride out to meet you, and slay this creature...* came the distinctive tone of Leetah, Cutter...Tam seeming distant in that moment...
*I am coming, stay calm, I will not allow harm to come to our child...*he vowed, meaning every word; and in sending, there is only truth...
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Thundering through the forest, yet swift as a ravvit, it came; he smelt it coming and tensed, sensing no escape...he looked to the fearful cub in his arms and ruffled the fiery hair that was her namesake. "Hey, I need you to stay calm and quiet, Ember, can you do that? Wait for my whistle to come...unless Nightfall and the others come first..."
The child nodded, understanding and the loyalty to 'the signal' all Wolfrider children were taught shone through in her eyes were taught, she would not move until Skywise...her father...whistled it was safe.
He gazed about for a suitable hiding place, and spotted one in a tree above, but bent first, to snatch a handful of Hunter's Grass, rubbing it over the cub as he moved to the base of the nearest tree. Skywise held her close and leapt for the nearest branch, swinging one-handed to rest upon it, and then ventured higher and higher, until he was almost to the top of the gargantuan tree...
Across the tree lay a the colossal trunk of a tree of greater height, that had fallen in storm or wind or even death, it bridged the expanse between the tree he occupied and the one across the clearing. Ember clutched tightly to his chest, tucking her small head into his customary blue leather vest; her frightened breath tickled his sweat-soaked chest.
"Hey, Kitling, there's no need to fear...just stay calm, okay?" he whispered reassuringly, like any parent would, and stepped carefully onto the massive tree-trunk. Normally, the Stargazer could have run the entire distance, but he could not risk Ember's life for foolishness, the drop from their impromptu bridge was quite steep and deadly.
Reaching the other side, he reassured the red-haired child and tucked her within the hollow he had espied earlier, it sat in the crook of the tree, hidden from common sight and was perfectly cub-sized. Ember fitted in easily and stared back as he feverishly rubbed the remnants of the Hunter's Grass over her body, then around the entrance of the hole and began to retrace his steps with the crushed plant...only to pause.
He moved back to the hollow, ears pricking up at the feeling of danger that grew stronger each moment, she raised chubby little arms to him, but he shook his head, "Not now cubling, the grass masks your scent, if I were to hold you it would no longer work..." he breathed harshly, the evil presence almost crushing as it approached swiftly.
"Ember, I promise you, you will be safe! I make this promise to you, but you must make one to me, stay hidden, stay silent and do not move until I call or Nightfall finds you, no matter what you see or hear...alright?" he huffed, the cub nodded, snuggling back into the shadows of the hollow.
Skywise took one last look at his daughter, drinking in the sight of her and burning the image to his mind, before moving back across the trunk and erasing his scent with the remnants of the grass.
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SweetSky growled, her head shot up and glistening teeth were bared to the world...
Nightfall gazed at her hunting companion of many seasons in wonderment, SweetSky was named for her demeanor, this was the first the Huntress had ever heard her growl; and so, she raised her sword, pointing the way to the others.
*She has scented it, whatever it may be...are you ready?* she asked of Dewshine, Pike and Strongbow. the archer nodded, stringing his beloved bow and testing an arrow's weight against it...
*Come on, a cub's life...is at stake, two if you count the Stargazer...*growled Strongbow, in what could almost be passed as a joke, in any other circumstance...
Nightfall nodded, urging SweetSky forwards and praying to the High Ones, they would not be too late...
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Crashing through the tangle of trees, it met the Stargazer in the middle of the clearing; it sniffed, testing the air for the scent of the other, the younger...but found nothing...
The tainted blood of the creature before him was foul upon it's tongue, so the creature cringed away for a moment to breath sweeter air, before turning to face the small, pale creature again.
The Abomination must die...
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He- It- The Creature came forth, twisted beyond all recognition if it's former self...another of Winnowill's Hybrids, to be certain...it was in the way this...thingglared down at him as if he, Skywise, were the wrong.
Gargantuan of proportion, it swiped a massive taloned paw at him, glancing across his chest, the thing...spoke, "Where...is the young one...Abomination?" it drawled out, gasping horrifically within each pause for a word, "Where...is the wrong...that must be blighted...for the Lady's...Honour?"
Skywise frowned, no jovial comeback or observation springing to mind...it mattered not, the beast seemed content to kill him first, anyway. "If you...speak not...I will remove your...foul blood from...this world and then find...the young Abomination...for the Lady's Glory..." it proclaimed.
Whether it was the vehemency it displayed when speaking of her death, or the way the creature called Ember, his daughter, an Abomination...the Stargazer could not tell; but the rage welled up within his heart and gave strength to previously shaking arms.
"You shall NOT have Her!" he shrieked and leapt forwards, flashing his sword in the evening light; the creature leapt back and raked his chest with it's claws, deeper this time; the gashes weeped dark, crimson blood. The creature recoiled, "Spill not...your foul blood...upon me...Abomination!" it commanded, seeming to dread contact with the crimson liquid.
Skywise took advantage of it's distraction, dodging to the side and striking the beast within it's strange, twisted side...the thing shrieked again, fury and agony laced together in one horrible sound... It lashed out, the back of the taloned paw slamming into the side of his head, harshly, and the Stargazer flew through the air...head slamming into a rock that jutted from the forest floor.
A dull ache filled his skull, and unless he was mistaken, the creature appeared to be multiplying...but they all convalesced into one again, and he felt at the wound; sticky blood lined the tentative fingers that probed the area, but most of the shock had been absorbed by his headband. In an instant, the white-maned warrior was on his feet, brandishing the blade before him again...
It roared, flinging a rotten tree-trunk towards him, ducking and rolling were the only things between his life and death, then; but something was wrong, terribly, terriblywrong...
The creature sniffed, and sniffed again, a malicious smile lit it's features, "Ah, the young...one has been...hidden? But now...I have found...her! She shall die by...my claw...for the glory of...my Mistress!" it crowed, sickeningly.
Fury burned bright in his eyes; without hesitation , as it attempted to lumber up the tree towards his precious cub, Skywise leapt upon it's back stabbing once, twice, thrice...so many times there was no ability to count...
Arching and howling it's agony, the beast fell to the ground; Skywise springing free of it's bulk before he was crushed beneath it...It lumbered to unsteady feet, swaying as it roared, advancing on the bleeding, battered and trembling Elf...
There seemed only one goal, to die with the blood of a tainted one on it's claws, to honour the Lady...and Skywise would do. He felt the dull thud, ache spreading across his back as he hit the tree and slid down slowly; springing upright in the hopes to fend off-
The ground rose up to meet him with harsh finality, his arms now bled from deep gashes from the same talons that inflicted his earlier damage; blood trickled down into one eye, obscuring his vision.
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It was the gentle Healer who screamed first, clutching her head with both delicate hands, knees slamming into the grassy ground by their tree-holt; Cutter pressed himself against the nearest tree, vaguely releasing a wailing Suntop to a concerned ShenShen, before clutching at his chest.
Everywhere throbbed, the pain was everywhere; his heart could truly not take that his Lifemate was in such torment...
They called for him, his soul...They called for their *Fahr*
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Still, with a grunt, he pushed off the ground and simultaneously fended off concerned sendings from his lifemates...they did not need to know what he planned, he only prayed the High Ones would be kind and spare them the agony of his...his death. For what other choice existed?
Spinning dizzily as sharp talons cut through his back and forced him to the earth once again, he breathed shallowly, drawing the creature ever-increasing distance from his child; Ember must be kept safe at all costs...
It stumbled blindly after him in it's rage, slashing at him...the blows barely registering in his mind, body far too numb to recognise pain anymore, nor draw a sword...he barely felt with the creature skewered him with it's claws and lifted him high. Gripping him tightly, it drew him towards the large, misshapen eyes of green and gold, sneering at it's supposed victory...
And then it was over...
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...for the Creature...
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The Creature! It held their beloved Stargazer impaled in it's grasp, horrifying images of Shale flittered through the archer's mind at great speeds; the battered, broken body as the Elf had died protecting his cub...this cubwere almost engulfing...but he held on and tightened his bow.
Nightfall diverted them around, Pike and Dewshine cornered the creature by a tree, their wolves snarling and bristling almost as greatly as their owners...never had he seen the blond so enraged! True to his name, Pike circled the creature, jabbing it with his weapon of choice, spilling it's blood upon the ground...
There was a vicious pleasure in doing so, though they realised they had condemned the ground it stood on to be barren...and there was sadness there for such a cruel deed...
The Huntress circled also, drawing it's attention to her, turning it ever-so-slightly in her direction; they froze, momentarily, as it spoke, "Abom-...inations...you will...die by...my...hand!"
He gauged the shot, taking careful aim though he needn't, if it killed him in the process, he would take this misbegotten hybrid creature down for the atrocity it had committed...
It faced him, their eyes locked; the creature flinched, seeing nothing but it's own death in the archer's eyes, moving too slowly to save itself as Strongbow released the quivering arrow he held in trembling arms.
The shaft slid into the creature's chest with a sickening sucking sound, Skywise tumbled from it's grip and fell, limply to hit the ground...as it fell, the misshapen eyes were locked with his own, and the archer did something he rarely ever did.
Strongbow smiled as he spoke, well growled, aloud, "You are meat to be Wasted, your blood will nourish nothing..." There was a certain...malicious pleasure, as the Now slowed long enough for the archer to pinpoint the exact moment the light faded from it's eyes...and it crashed to the ground, dead...
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Half-aware of his surroundings, surrounded by stars though only a few peered down upon him, Skywise felt no pain...but there was an exhilarating allure, something...someonecalled to him, promised things he never thought possible...if only he would come...
There were hands upon his arms, a familiar face...blonde...Nightfall? Nightfall shouldn't be here, she was with...with cub! Ember!
With the last of his strength, the Stargazer lifted a hand to his mouth and exhaled over the fingers, producing a high, clear, sound...he was rewarded with a rustling sound and those about him exclaimed, before darkness lulled him away.
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Skywise was dying before them, lying in a pool of crimson blood that splayed out over and under the stargazer; none of them could do anything to save him, yet they needed to know where Ember had been hidden.
As if reading their minds, Skywise lifted a trembling hand to his mouth and gave the well-known Cub-call all parents train their children to respond to...Rustling occurred, and a small, red-haired head appeared from a hollow way above them...
Dewshine leapt nimbly into the tree, swinging from branch to branch as swiftly as possible; Pike awaited her on the ground dreading she should fall, but the honey-haired one glided across the tree-bridge with great ease and crouched by the hollow, arms open.
Ember stared at the Wolfrider for a long moment before climbing into Dewshine's arms; the Wolfrider maiden danced her way down through the tree to settle upon the ground...Pike brought her wolf over and she made to sit on it, but Nightfall shook her head.
"Give the child to me, assist Strongbow to get Skywise on his wolf, but be gentle...I will take Ember far from here...she should not see..." her voice trailed off, the horror in her soul strong and quivering; if he did not live by Leetah's hand or even if he did, she would see his broken, bleeding body in her dreams for many an eight of seasons to come...
The cubling looked around over the blonde's shoulder, only to be confronted by the falsely cheerful Pike, who made faces at her, and effectively blocked the entire scene from her young eyes...Nightfall rode over and took Ember in her arms, "Hold tight, little one, we are going to see your mother and father!" she cooed.
"Fa-fer hewe!" the little girl demanded adamantly, but clung on, just the same...
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Not since Crescent's death had he felt so anxious over the life of a cub he and Moonshade had raised, as had the rest of the tribe; the star-maned Cub-for he would never truly think of the Stargazer otherwise- was limp in his arms, the blood from his wounds coating Lashpaw and himself with the sticky, congealing liquid.
The head thudded gently against his shoulder each and every time Lashpaw was forced to jump over a hurdle, and Strongbow was finding it increasingly difficult to hold onto them both...his leathers were soaked through and the stargazer grew slick with the crimson liquid. He breathed shallowly, the scent of blood so over-powering it repulsed the archer...
They were so close, so close he could scent the anxiety flowing from Leetah and his Chieftain from here...So close...
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Skidding to a halt, SweetSky allowed her rider to dismount and move to the stricken parents, "Ember. She is safe..." the Huntress said, presenting the cub to a shocked and frightened looking Healer.
"But where is Skywise...?" inquired Cutter, blue eyes piercing her to the core and she turned away from her life-long friend, the pain that glazed over his eyes was unbearable... "No..." he whispered to himself, "No...he has to be alive, we would know if...if..."
He never managed to finish the thought...
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Bursting through the clearing, Pike and Dewshine cleared a path for Strongbow who held an exceptionally pale Stargazer in his arms...
Leetah exclaimed in horror, and Vurdah of the Sun Village ran to grasp the child before she fell and shield her young eyes; ShenShen also covered those of Suntop, not wishing them to see...that.
"Come, bring him to me," commanded the Healer, voice of stone and fear; the archer did not question, but slid from his now-crimson-caked Wolf-friend and gently pulled the limp stargazer into his arms. Striding to her, she bade him lay Skywise at her feet, then knelt to lay hands on him...her eyes assessed the archer, but he shook his head minutely and she turned to her Lifemate.
Seeing the suffering, the wounds, the horror...it was all pushed away as a Healing trance descended...
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Strongbow stepped away as his Chief took Skywise from him; he nodded and moved back, straight into a concerned Moonshade, who spun him to face her and assessed every inch of his body. Again, he shook his head, the blood was not his...
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...the blood was not his...
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He held tightly onto his soul-brother and lifemate, Leetah swayed slightly in her trance and finally readied herself...hesitation of before lost, and placed her hands upon the Stargazer...
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Skywise awoke to soft furs, dim light and two bodies pressed close to his own...blearily he looked down at the two cubs nestled close and stroked their hair softly. This didn't look like the Palace of the High Ones...did that mean...?
"You live, Beloved!" cried an over-joyed Leetah upon entering their tree-hollow, "I have never feared for another so greatly...but you live, and so does our cub!" Tears ran down her sweet features, her happiness uncontained or constrained by any means...
A familiar hand drew her close, and Cutter was there...beaming down on him, a shimmery sheen of unshed tears dancing about the joyous blue orbs he knew so well... The Chief knelt by him and stroked his face, "Skywise, I-...We-...When we felt...Never do it again!" he scolded, at a loss of what to do elsewise, and the Stargazer laughed merrily but it slowed to a pant.
Leetah looked appalled, "Do you still hurt...?" His blue eyes gazed back at her, "Yes, but's it's a good pain, let's me know I'm alive..." he stated, struggling to sit. A strange, knowing glance passed between his Lifemates over his head and he was not privy to their sendings.
*Now where have I heard that before, my Love?*teased the Healer, as she moved to place tender hands on the Stargazer's raw chest; not releasing him until the skin glowed a healthy colour.
"Feel up to joining in the celebration? We can't have it without you, you know, everyone's waiting!" nudged the Wolf Chieftain, helping the other to rise, slowly...
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A great cheer of relief sounded about him, he looked to see all the Wolfriders and Sun Villagers awaiting him, his lifemates came behind, each holding a cub in strong, sure arms. Nightfall and Strongbow reached up to help him down as carefully as possible, like he was fragile...in a way he was...not that he would ever admit it...of course.
There was a blanket laid out for them, and he was lead to it, Cutter and Leetah following with the Twins; before he sat, Strongbow placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke, "Cub, risking your life for that cub was brave, self-less and...I'm proud of you for it. Just don't ever do something that Zwoot-brained again, or I'll have to kill you for how worried you made us all..." The archer helped the shell-shocked Stargazer to sit and returned to Moonshade.
Cutter laughed at his expression, "Tuftcat got your tongue...?" he jested, poking Skywise gently, wide blue eyes turned in him as the frosty-maned Elf asked in a small voice, "Did...Did Strongbow just Speakto me...?"
The Wolf-Chieftain laughed until his chest ached...
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Later, as those who would, danced by the great fire for the celebration, the Stargazer, half-asleep in her lap snuggled closer and whispered, "I'm sorry for ruining your Day, Leetah..."
The Healer started, nearly dropping a cub for the third time that day, but rather, placed him alongside his twin sister, where Ember had curled into Skywise's arms...
She looked to him, "In what way, Beloved?" she asked, puzzled by this false guilt, "This day we celebrate our family, you are as important as any other...and that you saved Ember at cost to your own life makes it all the more precious, speak not of guilt and apologies. You have done no wrong!"
"She's right, you know..." came the deep voice of Cutter, who draped himself alongside Skywise and rested his back upon the same tree as Leetah. "This is a day where we celebrate the life of our children...the Day-..."
Skywise cut him off, gazing up at Leetah with adoring eyes, "The Day you became a Mother..." he said reverently and she smiled back, speaking also. "It was also the day you became a Father, both of you...and I would not change it for the world!"
Cutter clapped him on the back, "See? No getting out of this one! You're stuck with us and the Twins, and that's that!" he laughed. The Stargazer looked at them long and hard as their gazes melted from him to the festivities...food was brought and offered; he would have refused, but for Cutter's forceful insistence that he must try something...which resulted in his eating quite a significant amount of that something...
He drank of the Dreamberry wine that passed about, and eventually found himself half-awake and leaning against Cutter; his arm pressing against that of Leetah, who also curled into their Chieftain-mate, Suntop pressed into her body in sleep. His twin he held, just as Cutter held them...
Ember made a soft noise and lifted her face to look at him, "What was that, little one?" he asked softly, and she burbled again, "Wuv oo fa-fer!" and swiftly fell to sleep again...
He blinked in surprise, and felt Cutter's chest vibrate with laughter, "See?" His shining blue eyes seemed to say as they flickered with firelight that danced also in Leetah's green eyes... "See what this is, how we love you, that we would not be complete without you...? See...?"
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...and suddenly, he did...
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THE END
Thanks for Reading, please Review!^^
It took me about four hours to write, I kept changing my mind and it's now 12:15pm, so I bid you all, Goodnight!^^
[Subtle Hint]
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