Authors Note: This entire story is being role-played out by me and my best friend, 'Magus.' :P Enjoy!

"Of all the rotten…-!"

I grumbled to myself with clear irritation as I dropped the few Medicinal Herbs I had been carrying. It took me long enough as it did to pick them, and now I'd have to 'pick' them again. I sighed, reaching down and gathering them up one by one.

"Do remind me. Why didn't I bring a basket?"

A low, rumbling chuckle came from behind me.

"Because you're stubborn."

I rolled my eyes and turned around to face the owner of the voice. Baumren. The Great Sabercat.

"No one asked you, Baumren. I was simply thinking aloud!"

He padded up beside me with a sharp, toothy grin.

"You do that a lot, you know. Best to keep things to yourself when others are present if you don't wish to be picked on."

I gave him a playful push and huffed.

"Oh be quiet, will you? Since you seem to have so much energy, what with all that yammering, why don't you take these herbs back to the cave? I have a few more things to do before I head back myself."

Baumren chuckled once more before lifting each herb with his tail, slowly placing them into the small saddlebag he kept on his back.

"Very well. Just be careful, will you? You'll want to make it home before it gets dark."

He looked up at the red and orange tinted sky only to earn himself a scoff.

"Sometimes I wonder if you even remember who you're talking to. I'll be fine! Now hurry along. Get. And I'll be taking this if you don't mind~"

I reaching inside his saddlebag to retrieve my own bag which I knew I would need for the task that lay before me. I then waved my hand dismissively with a teasing look, giving him a nod of thanks as well.

"Hmhm. Yes yes yes. I'm going. I will see you tonight, my Queen."

With those final words, Baumren leapt off into the distance and into the darkness of the forest.

I sighed and shook my head.

"Sabercats… frady-cats more like."

I giggled and adjusted my silken black traveling cloak around my hourglass figure, brushing a few strands of my raven black hair from my eyes.

"Then again…"

I looked behind myself to see my black, catlike tail swaying with the breeze, then adjusting my catlike ears beneath the hood of my cloak.

"… being part jaguar, I guess I would be insulting myself!"

I laughed once more before starting off towards my destination. Wishers Peak. Lunars Blessings were known to grow at the very top of Wishers Peak, but you could only spot them during the night of the full moon. Which meant that I would have to disregard Baumrens little 'warning' of heading home before dark. I'm the queen of this land for peats sake! The dark doesn't bother me. In all actuality, I rather prefer night over day.

The trek up the spiraling mountain was tedious but worth it. At long last I had reached the top of Wishers Peak, and just in the nick of time too. The moon would soon be at its highest point, then and only then, would the Lunars Blessings become visible to my eyes. I glanced around the top of the Peak, taking in its familiarness. The old broken windowpane, the crumbling ruins of what was once a house, the grass… it was quite the sight. As for the name, there is a story about this place that has been passed down and around throughout every generation. A story that tells of a magical domain that only opens on the night of the full moon, and a creature within who has the power to grant one single wish to the one who waits. I gave a light chuckle as I knew fully well that this fact was true. This 'creature' was my uncle. An elf of ancient times called Ishmari who ruled over the land of the Moons Shadow. I hadn't seen him in years, but I knew he was always watching over me… just as my mother was.

I was yanked from my thoughts as the moon finally reached its highest point, causing several crescent moon shaped 'flowers' to bloom at my feet.

"Ah! The Lunars Blessings! At last…"

I smiled as I began to pick them, placing them into my bag. I would need them later as an ingredient in my Alchemy Pot.

"Let me see. I believe six will be enough… huh?"

I began to hear a strange whirring sound coming from behind me, and I turned around to see. Surely the Moon Shadow portal wasn't opening? No… that couldn't be. This portal was different, though it was still triggered by the moon. It was black. Ominous, even. My eyes flickered from blue to silver as I quickly realized… it was pulling me in. I grabbed ahold of one of the ancient pillars, hoping it would save me from the dangerous vortex, but that hope was proven to be false. It crumbled beneath the pressure, and soon I felt my body being lifted as I was dragged into the depths of the mysterious dark abyss. Everything faded to black.

Maybe… the dark does bother me after all.