Shadow's POV

"That little settlement is actually a threat? How long have we been gone for?" Shadow practically shouted. After Mystery had told them the devastating news, they had all gone inside Raven's house for an emergency meeting. Only Blizzard, Raven, Mystery, and her were allowed to attend, and had sent Rex back to her house even after her protests. She doubted they could fit anyone else in the tiny wood shack anyways. Raven kept all her horses in her first floor, along with a chicken farm and a cactus, so they had cramped together on the second floor in Raven's bedroom. Shadow was leaning on a crafting table, Blizzard was sitting on the furnace, and Mystery was resting on the top of the first floor staircase, hands shoved into the pockets of her black shorts, while Raven took the bottom of the attic staircase. For some reason, she didn't trust anyone in her attic, the stuck-up brat.

"Half a week." Mystery said glumly. Seeing the shocked looks, she added, "Nether time and Over world time don't exactly measure up evenly."

"What do you know about the settlement?" Raven questioned.

"No one knows the leader,or what their purpose is. They appear to have guards posted..." Shadow zoned out at this point. Mystery and Blizzard were the co-leaders, not her. Only the puppy-like look on Blizzard's face had prevented her from being kicked out like Rex. She idly looked out the window, eyeing the newly planted roses in Raven's yard. Her mind drifted off until something Mystery said caught her attention. "...And there are rumors of spies in the town." Mystery continued worriedly. "I've been considering our options, and I propose we get to one of the new spawns before the settlement does, and send them as a spy."

"But if the new spawn turns against us..." Blizzard trailed off.

"That's a risk we'll have to take." Raven finished. "We'll send more frequent teams to find new spawns. Blizzard, go organize one now. And make sure people we trust are on it." Blizzard nodded and headed out.

"I feel like you were leaving something out." Raven said after Blizzard's footsteps had faded.

"There's something to discuss... alone." Mystery cast a meaningful glance at Shadow, who was trying to blend in and stay quiet unsuccessfully.

"Blizzard trusts her, and I respect his judgement." Raven said, firm and quiet. Shadow tried to hide the surprise on her face with a calm look, although the amused look on Raven's face made her think she failed.

Mystery lowered her voice. "There's two new spawns, Copper and Galaxy. We're not sure if the enemy settlement has gotten to them or not. They've managed to survive unusually long together, for about a week."

"And there's no proof they were without help." Shadow finished, causing both girls to glare at her. "Okay okay, shutting up now."

"Actually, why don't you go say hello to the two?" Raven suggested.

"Can't I stay?" Raven gave her a look, and she realized that was an order. She opened her mouth to protest, then hesitated as she saw the frazzled look Raven's face. And then she just looked at Raven for a few seconds.

And noticed the messy, untamed hair.

And the stressed look in her cobalt blue eyes.

And even though one side of Shadow was screaming to deliver a stinging retort, something made her choose another path.

"Okay, I'll leave you two to your little SECRET MEETING." Positive that the whole town had heard the last part, she walked down the staircase and out of the front door under the combined death glares of Mystery and Raven. Before she was more then three blocks away from the door she turned and went back inside. "Where am I going?"

Mystery sighed "They're in the two little cottages near the mine, with the five or so horses in an animal pen. Can't miss it." Mystery explained, tapping the floor with a lilac colored sneaker impatiently.

"Right. Okay, bye for real now!" She jogged out the door and all the way to the mine, hastily adjusting her scarf and beanie. She never had time to actually fix them, it was always go do this, go do that.

She was so focused she didn't see the boy until she ran straight into him.

"Oh my super charged creepers I am so sorry!" She gasped, a separate part of her mind worrying about how her work had just been wasted, and her beanie had landed on the ground and was probably ruined.

"It's my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going." The boy apologized, running a hand through his shaggy, dark brown reached for her hand and pulled her off the ground before grabbing the beanie. "Here you go," the boy said as he held it out.

"Thanks!" She took it, and accidentally brushed his hand. Shadow felt a blush form on her face, and avoided his two neon robin egg blue eyes, which were the most startling color she had ever seen. They were intriguing, and all she wanted to do was stare into them. They radiated kindness just like Blizzard's golden ones... The reminder of Blizzard made her take a step back. What was she doing?

"I got to go." She announced, before brushing past the boy.

"Wait!" He grabbed her hand and she flinched, causing him to let go. "Sorry. Uh... My name is Thrush. Like the bird. And could I have the pleasure of knowing your name...?"

"Shadow." She whispered. "Call me Shadow."

And then she ran off.

"My name is Thrush. Like the bird." Any thoughts on Thrush? Also, just want to point out the T rating will really come into effect in this story, with gore, character death, and romance [which is going to be light because I can't write romance very well yet].

StressofWriting:[Just going to put this here because I can] If only that was how normal lava fountains worked. And the original ending was going to be even more anti-climatic, but I fixed it.

Oh, and expect a complex plot and really long chapters in this one. See you later awesome people, byeee!