(This is the third book in 'The Name Of A Girl' series. It focuses a great deal on Grace and Skipper. Grace has left the country to find her parents. Skipper continues training, with some rather unexpected delays;) The pairings in this story are: GraceXKowalski, SkipperXMarlene, GinXBluea, and HawkXDeliah! Hope you enjoy!)

—Grace's POV—

I feel the locket move against my fur. It is just a small flat bronze disk with an octopus on it, but it contains pictures of what I am searching for.

Without thinking, I start to run alongside the train. Slowly at first, then picking up speed. I easily leap on the train, slide a few and almost collide with a strange dog.

"Can I help you?" he mumbles.

"You speak English? That's a relief. I was so tired of Danish." I quickly sigh.

"So where you headed?" he asks, his voice is low and I detect a faint Bronx accent.

"Uhm." In all honesty I don't know where the hell I am going, just that I am looking for Aatu and Jorinde. "Just to the next stop. I'm looking for someone."

"Really? Mind if I ask who?" the stranger asks.

"I'd prefer not to answer. What about you?" I am hoping he can help me out because really, how many wolves could be in Denmark?

"Off at the next stop then walking. A little reserve called Krater Park."

"That's where I'm headed." I quickly lie, for being an adult, I sure lie a lot.

"Eratothenis. You?"

It takes me a moment to realize he wants my name, "Grace. Just Grace."

"Well, just Grace, my other traveling companions will be thrilled to meet you."

I look around, "Traveling companions?" I say cautiously.

"Taralyn. Chev. Come meet our guest." Eratothenis calls.

A very small horse raises his head off the floor of the cart. I haven't noticed him before because he is dirty and blends in with the crates. "Hola, Chica. Como estas?"

"Uhh. Spanish isn't one of my 5 languages." I say sheepishly.

"It's ok, he is just trying to be funny."

I turn to see a female penguin, no taller then Private, but an obviously arrogant figure. She wears a belt lopsided around her waist with a government issued handgun tucked into a holster.

"Name is Taralyn." she has a strong Polish accent and her name sounds vaugely familiar.

"Grace."

"Doesnt look like you take after your name." Eratothenis chuckles.

"Erato! Be nice. She can't help that her parents weren't smart." Taralyn growls. "Come on, Grace. Let's meet the rest of the group."

I follow Taralyn around the cart. She introduces me to everyone. Max and Jenna, a young wolf couple with puppies on the way. Reika, a brown bear probably older then Taralyn, Eratothenis, Chev, and me combined, Crystal, a fox kit that can't talk well, and her older sister, Quartz, who looks like she will rip anyone who looks at her sister wrong, apart.

"Most of them are elderly or sick." Taralyn explains. "Dying some." she lowers her voice, "They are just trying to escape-" she stops and looks around, "Him."

I look over my shoulder at the refugees. Reika is coughing, Eratothenis is standing beside her, offering little help.

"Why are you helping them?" I catch myself asking.

"Who will?" Taralyn blinks. She has familiar blue eyes."I want to show you something. I think you will like it."

Taralyn slides over to the edge of the train, climbs a ladder to a platform surrounded by windows and points out. "That's Sirius. The brightest star in the sky. "

"Yeah." I'm mesmerized, I don't remember ever learning the names of the stars in training. I know Manfredi can use them as a map and could travel from Australia to Argentina.

"My brother used to tell me that, no matter where in the world you are, that star always leads to what you want most. I believed him for a long time. Years after he left."

"I'm trying to find my parents." I look up at the stars, "I don't know why, but my life isn't complete without knowing them."

Taralyn turns her full attention to me. "What are their names? Maybe I could help you. I know most of the wolves around here. Or Erato. He knows everyone."

"Aatu and Jorinde." I reply slowly.

"You mean Aatu and Vixen? I don't know a Jorinde."

"No, it's Aatu and Jorinde. Promise."

"Taralyn?" Eratothenis appears, "We need more blankets down there. Chev and I can't reach them. Please."

The penguin smiles at me, then stands to leave. Eratothenis smiles at me, he has a sarcastic half smile that remindes me of Skipper's.

"So, are you escaping too?" I ask suddenly.

"Actually, I ran away from home. I felt like I was destined for greater things then my pack could offer. I thought I was the baddest dog ever, was going to be part of the police force, be a hero. I was so wrong. I started helping others get into the reserve, and just went from there."

"You didn't go back?"

"No, I don't know what I would say. My pack wasn't where I was supposed to be, besides, I wasn't wanted there either."

There I am, my parents had sent me away to protect me and I'm trying desperately to find them. And here was Eratothenis, who had run away of his own free will. I am beginning to wonder if I will like what I find.

-Skipper-

I wake up quick. Struggling to breathe, I roll out of my bunk and cross slowly to the coffee maker. The red light is already flashing, so I instantly look over to Kowalski's lab. He is focused on something under the microscope and a light on the fax machine is blinking.

"Kowalski we have-" I realize there is no point in arguing with him, "I'll get it."

"Good morning, Skipper." Kowalski says, taking the paper and twirls around. He pours two cups of coffee and hands one to me before rushing back into his lab.

"Kowalski?" I walk around the corner.

"Eureaka!" he yelps. "We have a match, Godrick!"

"Are you talking to yourself?" I sigh, shaking my head.

"Nope, Godrick Godfrey. Math matician." Kowalski is dancing estatically around the center table in his lab.

"Uhm" I want to slap him and tell him that I have know idea who that is, "Good for you. What did you figure out?"

He stops and looks at me like I've lost my mind. "I was trying to make a genetical match for Grace. And I found one!"

"Great." I say with false enthusiasm.

Kowalski just smiles.

I grow tired of waiting, "And?"

"Oh, and the samples got all jumbled up. So, I don't know which is which." he smiles.

I instantly slap my forehead, resist the urge to beat him senseless and walk away.

"I will fix it!" I know Kowalski well enough to know that he is looking around his lab as we speak. "I promise."

"Yeah. When is the mail coming?" I look at the clock.

"On the table." he answers, "Expecting something?"

I shuffle through the papers. "Uh, yeah. A letter."

"Obviously. From whom may I ask?"

"My mom."

An explosion in the lab drops me to the ground in a defensive position.

"Sorry, I just thought I heard you say, your mother."

"I did. She's been wanting to visit. Just check up on us." I don't take my eyes off the mail. ACIS, Private's Uncle Nigel, ACIS, ACIS, Hawk, ACIS, Elouise.

I rip open her letter and wave it towards Kowalski. "See? I told you. I am the good son."

He rolls his eyes, "Good for nothing." he mumbles, slipping back into his lab.

I let his comment roll off, and begin to read the letter. No sooner have I started then a knock sounds on the door. The sound is followed by "Skipper, come say hi to your Momma, and Poppa."

I'm not sacred of many things, and my mother is not on the list, but my dad is.