Night was falling over the land. It was nearly quiet in the deep forest. A pair of black boots splashed through the mud as a woman with dark brown hair and a blond highlight charged through the woods toward a hidden house in the trees. She loved her home, but when it was wet, it did not make her happy. I am a Pai Zhug master! I shouldn't be ridiculed like this!

Master Guin hissed as the heat from the air around her seared her skin. Despite the rain, the surrounding atmosphere was burning and her house was still far away. It was near where Dai Shi's temple had once stood and since she had just been visiting the city, she had a long way to go. Vaulting over a large rock, she landed gracefully and kept running. Danger was near, she knew. In this part of the forest, she did not feel safe. A snake slithered by her foot and she leaped away from it.

"Are you kidding me?" she snapped.

The day's events kept running through her head. When she had visited the Rangers in the Jungle Karma Pizza Loft, all five had been sparring and had asked her to join in. But when RJ lost control of himself again, it had all gone downhill. No one knew why his animal spirit had been thrown off balance this time, but when he was in werewolf form, he was majorly dangerous. His first blow had nearly caught Casey in it and when she'd pushed him out of the way, he'd sliced a large cut in her left arm. By the time Lily, Casey, Theo and Dominic had been able to control him again, she had left, fleeing back to her home. Guin glanced down at the wound, not caring that it was still bleeding, and pressed on. But as she continued moving, taking in a deep breath, anxious thoughts began circling through her mind. Why had she moved so far away after the final battle, so far from civilization, so far from the city, so close to the temple that once belonged to the enemy of the world? She wasn't like Master Phant. At least she'd managed to build her own home there, even if it was a tad shabby.

It took her a very long time to get to her destination. She slipped quietly through the doorway, slamming the door behind her and collapsing on the floor. Guin's whole body hurt and as she made her way over to the soft, comfy chair at the back of her house, her arm began to sting even more. She groaned as she pulled herself up to lay on it and quickly fell asleep.

When she finally woke up again, the sun was high in the sky and her stomach was growling hungrily. Finally noticing that her arm had been bleeding all night, she wrapped it in a bandage. After that, Guin quickly dusted herself off, grabbed a bow and a clutch of arrows from her collection of weaponry, and went to find breakfast. She loved animals, but the only way for her to survive was to hunt, which is why she headed out in the mornings. Eventually, she spotted an elk and followed it. At night, it may have been quiet, but in the daytime, the forest was alive with wildlife. She stalked the animal for several minutes and finally hid in a bush beside a clearing, making sure not to disturb her prey. Fitting an arrow to her bow, she took aim, and as soon as the elk turned toward her, she fired, hitting it straight in the chest and sending it toppling onto its side.

"That should be good enough," she muttered to herself.

All of a sudden, Guin felt a blinding pain in her back. Twisting around, she saw another arrow embedded in her skin. She surveyed her surroundings, but saw no one. Too late, she saw the next arrow coming, which buried itself in her shoulder. Who is attacking me?

"Who are you?" she shouted, fury surging through her as she ripped the arrow from her shoulder, grimacing as blood ran down her arm. No answer came, but another arrow flew from the other direction and Master Guin gasped as the sharp point pierced her waist. She couldn't believe that someone would go after her and try to attack. Her hands tore the other arrows out of her and threw them against a tree as her face twisted into a snarl.

She could feel more blood streaming from where the arrows had hit and the air around her began to grow thick and foggy. Her gaze moved to her prey as she took a step back. It was looking very blurry now and as her vision grew weak, she started to breathe faster and then the world went dark as her head hit the forest floor.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"Master Guin, are you okay? Please give me a sign that you're okay!"

The female master's eyes slowly flitted open and she soon realized that she was back in her own house. The last thing she remembered was hunting for food and being shot at with a bunch of arrows. Who had attacked and who had rescued her?

"Guin?"

She recognized the voice at last. "Lily?"

"Oh God, I'm glad you're okay!" The blond Yellow Ranger's face took shape in front of her, leaning over her with a concerned expression.

"H- how did you know I lived here and why did you follow me?"

"You left your fur shawl in the loft when you visited us yesterday. I noticed it and tried to bring it to you last night, but when you went in the forest, I kept following you and camped out in the woods for the night. However, I tried to go in that direction today and discovered you bleeding on the ground. I don't know how the heck you got to be that way, but I'm just glad I was here to help."

Guin bolted out of her bed, wincing in pain as her feet hit the floor. "Did you see anyone there?"

"No, why?"

"Someone shot some arrows at me. I don't know how anyone knew I was there, but..."

"Who would do that to you?"

She shrugged in response, her hand clutching her injured arm. Her black outfit was stained and Lily placed a hand on her wounded shoulder as a tear slipped from her eye.

"I'm so sorry."

The penguin master wrenched herself away, grunting as pain once more filled her body. "It wasn't your fault."

A flash of confusion entered Lily's eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've never seen you even look sad before, save for when Dai Shi temporarily took away your animal spirit during the last battle. Something's wrong with you."

"You mean other than the fact that I was humiliated and nearly killed in a place where I'd naturally be safe? Nope. Dai Shi and his warriors were all destroyed; there's not usually danger in living near the old temple."

"But that just happened once." Master Guin looked up to see Casey, Theo, Dominic, and RJ walk in. She gulped nervously as she remembered what had happened to the wolf master the day before.

"Don't worry, Guin, I'm back in balance," RJ said, putting his hands up in front of him. She relaxed a little more.

"What happened to you?" Casey asked. "Lily told us to come, but she never said that you were hurt."

"Someone attacked me," she murmured. "I don't know how it happened, but I do know that I just want to be alone."

"Go on, guys," Lily sighed. "I know you just got here, but if she wants to be alone, we should let her be alone. I have something I want to give her first before I leave too."

"What is it?" Guin inquired as the Wolf, Rhino, Red, and Blue Rangers left the house. Lily pulled a small device in the shape of a penguin head. "It's an animal spirit communicator. It allows you to speak a message and send it along with your animal spirit to anyone you choose. It's best if you incorporate the name into the message."

"Wow." She gently turned the communicator over in her hands. "Thank you so much."

"We all have them too." Lily produced one exactly like it, but in the shape of a cheetah head.

"That's so sweet."

"We gave some to the other masters too. I hope it will be put to good use." Lily smiled back at her as she walked away.

Master Guin sighed as she fell back onto the bed. After catching her breath again, she exited her home after Lily, going out just as she saw the Yellow Ranger disappear into the woods. Instead of following, she went in the other direction, all the way toward Dai Shi's old temple. When she arrived, she immediately shot through the broken door into the darkness of the place, not stopping until she reached the top throne room. The original throne had not been destroyed and she wanted to have that pleasure. It was still dark, so she began groping for a light.

All of a sudden, she found herself on the floor, blinking in surprise. When she finally got up again, something struck the arrow wound on her back and Guin cried out in pain as she fell, hoping the bandage wouldn't come off. As she got up, her feet were completely swept out from under her and she slammed to the ground. Whoever it was smashed their foot onto her chest and she gasped for air as the light came on. A strangled scream of realization came from her attacker and the weight preventing her from breathing lifted. She let out a small sob as agony rushed through her body. Then, as she looked up, her eyes widened as she noticed who it was.

"C- Camille?" Then the room went dark again.