Before the Earth

by Goldenwolfkitsune

Before the first human walked the Earth…before Dinosaurs roamed the lands…before the first plant sprouted from the bottom of the Earth…before our world was created…the Universe was very different.

Prologue

Have you ever wondered how the earth was created? You might have heard that it could have been caused by a meteor scientifically. But if you were a Christian, you might say that the earth was created by God. But this is a story of another possible way the Earth could have been created….

It all started approximately 10 years before the Earth was created. The solar system was extremely different. There was only one Galaxy and one huge solar system. There were hundreds of planets, each of them with life forms, (or "aliens"), on them. But they all had one thing in common; all of these "aliens" were called "beasts." They resembled giant mystical and prehistoric creatures such as dinosaurs, griffins and dragons. Some of these creatures were extremely scary, like the ones that the lived on the "legendary planet of water." Many of these beasts were giant megalodons with three eyes. And these creatures could look like small cute rabbits but could transform into giant saber tooth tigers, which they refer to as their "beast forms."

But one day a new planet had been born. It was Mars. Back then, Mars was a planet which inhabited life forms; although these life forms looked extremely strange to the other beasts. They looked a lot similar to monkey beasts, except they stood on two legs. Because of these extremely odd beasts Mars was known as a "legendary planet." And when there's a legendary planet, it needs a legendary beast to guard it. There were two new legendary beasts that wanted to guard it. These were the legendary black dragon and the legendary white wolf. They both wanted to guard it and now they were prepared to fight to the death to make it their own.

The legendary black dragon was a huge dragon that had silver wings that were as hard as armor and spikes on the back of his head. His eyes were a dark sea green and his body was covered in total blackness that seemed to blend in with the space that surrounded him.

The legendary white wolf was a huge wolf almost bigger than the legendary black dragon. He had a sparkling golden crystal on the back of his neck which enabled him to shoot beams. His body supported giant spiked golden claws and his razor sharp tail could inject poison into his opponent. His fur was brighter than the whitest snow and he had glittering golden eyes. Unlike the legendary black dragon he did not have wings. He used the golden flickering flames on the back of his claws to fly.

Both the black dragon and the white wolf howled and roared a battle cry and charged into each other. The white wolf shot a golden beam out of his crystal to the black dragon but the black dragon used his steel wings to protect himself. Then the black dragon aimed a fire blast out of his mouth to the white wolf. The white wolf blocked it with his tail and then lunged forward, biting the dragon with his knife sharp fangs. The black dragon roared in fury and pain and started to turn his whole body black, camouflaging into space. The white wolf growled in frustration. It seemed as if the dragon had disappeared into thin space! "Grouuu! Grouuu!" he howled, scratching the space around him as if he expected the black dragon to attack him at any time. But then he remembered part of his training. If your opponent disappears do not panic. Use your senses. The white wolf used his nose to sniff out the black dragon. Then he found out the black dragon's location. Above! He quickly dodged out of the black dragon's way as he tried to scratch the white wolf. The white wolf hit the black dragon with his claws. The black dragon let out another roar of pain and fury. But this time he was right next to him and he managed to slice the white wolf's back. The white wolf howled and slammed into the black dragon so hard that they landed on the legendary Mars planet. The beasts on the Mars planet screamed and quickly hid for cover as the white wolf and the black dragon fought, their attacks greatly damaging the legendary Mars planet. And soon their attacks became so great that they destroyed the life forms on Mars. But they didn't seem to notice that and continued battling.

On the training planet an old wolf stared up at the battle between the legendary white wolf and the legendary black dragon. "Those fools…." he growled. "They're supposed to fight to guard the planet not destroy it!"

The life forms on the Sun, (back then it was known as the legendary Fire planet), grew angry with the legendary white wolf and the legendary black dragon. So they started to merge with the Sun and the Universe started to shake.

The legendary white wolf and the legendary black dragon stopped and looked up at the legendary planet of Fire. It was no longer a planet it was a giant phoenix, so giant it was still the size of the legendary Fire planet. The phoenix opened its eyes, and they looked extremely angry. "You despicable traitors… how dare you kill innocent beasts for your own ambitions!" it screamed. It had a voice that sounded female, and it was very powerful. The white wolf just stood there, his eyes wide with terror. Then the black dragon let out a roar and charged toward the phoenix. The phoenix narrowed her eyes. "You shall be first…" she said. She stretched out her wings and a ball of fire came out of her mouth and shot straight through the dragon's neck. The dragon let out a roar and was very still. The phoenix turned to the white wolf. The white wolf blinked, trying to control the huge fear inside him. "Please…don't…" he stammered. "I have a family…. my daughter… I never got to see her…" some of the extreme anger died in the phoenix's eyes, but you'd have to look real close to see. But then she nodded. "All right. I will spare you. But you will be sealed away for ten years until you've learned your lesson. And I shall also seal away some of your daughter's beast power, the power that she inherited from you." The white wolf nodded, his eyes were clouded with sadness. The phoenix let out her eagle beast like screech and flaming fire shot around the white wolf and he disappeared.

Chapter one

Koru stood as still as the grass where she was hiding. All her attention was on the rabbit that stood a few paw steps in front of her. The rabbit hadn't noticed her yet; it was just sitting down nibbling on the grass. Koru took another step forward, but a twig snapped underneath her. The rabbit pricked up its ears and let out a battle cry. Suddenly, before Koru could jump on the rabbit it transformed into a giant rabbit with huge fangs and extremely sharp claws.

Without thinking Koru jumped onto the rabbit beast's back. "Raaaaa! Raaaa!" it bellowed as Koru dug her fangs into the rabbit beast's neck. It bucked and reared like a horse beast but Koru held on. Then the rabbit beast rolled onto its back, squishing Koru. "Gah!" Koru howled in pain as the rabbit beast squeezed her. "Rouuuuu!" roared a voice in the air. A giant fox beast about twice as big as the rabbit beast leaped out of a bush. He had six tails and markings around his eyes. He stared at the rabbit beast with challenging eyes. The rabbit beast roared and charged toward the fox beast. The fox beast swiped at the rabbit beast's neck with his huge claws. The rabbit beast transformed back into a small rabbit and was very still. The fox beast then transformed back into his lesser form, a fox that was the size of Koru. "I beat you again!" The fox said mockingly. "Big deal, Akuyo, you always beat me." Koru replied sulkily. "You have a beast form, and I don't." Koru straightened up. "But, when I do get a beast form; I'll be the most powerful beast ever!" She turned to Akuyo. "I'll even be more powerful than you!" And she leaped onto Akuyo playfully. "Hey I wasn't ready!" Akuyo said. He jumped away from Koru. "If you want to be more powerful than me you'll have to catch me first!" "Ha ha that's easy!" Koru replied. She chased after Akuyo in the forest, their happy howls echoing around everywhere.

But from a distance, a raptor beast watched them with narrowed eyes. He licked his lips and started to follow them.

"All right, all right you too." said a female voice. "I think you've had enough." Koru and Akuyo looked and saw Koru's mother Saka trotting toward them. Like Koru, she was a white wolf beast, but she also had unusual deep purple eyes. "Come on you two, it's time to eat." "Awesome!" Koru said her tail waging. Koru loved eating. It gave her strength and the more strength she had the more chance would be of obtaining her true beast form. "Oh, Darn!" Akuyo suddenly exclaimed. "What is it?" "That rabbit I caught earlier with Koru, I left it in the middle of the forest!" Koru rolled her eyes. "Well, come on let's go get it," she muttered. Akuyo shook his head. "No, I'll be fine, you go and eat, and I'll go get my rabbit!"

"What's the matter, Koru?" Saka asked. Koru sighed. "Well…it's just…I'm frustrated…I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get a beast form." "Your father had trouble obtaining his beast form too." Saka told her. Koru's ears pricked up. "Really?" she asked. "Really!" Saka replied. Koru had always heard stories about her father. She never knew him, but she heard he was amazing. He was a giant wolf beast, and he was a legendary! Her mother had told her that he had disappeared somewhere. Koru would give anything to meet her father.

Koru and Saka spotted a slim female fox trotting toward them. She was Akuyo's mother, Shira. She set down a rabbit for them. Koru and her mother dug in. "Any luck hunting today?" Shira asked. She had a smooth voice that had a bit of an English accent. Koru swallowed a piece of rabbit. "Nope. Akuyo caught it instead." She put her head on her paws. "Well, if you think rabbits are hard, you should try hunting deer beasts and bird beasts!" Koru lifted her head. "Deer beasts? Bird beasts?" she echoed in confusion. She saw her mother exchange an angry glance at Shira. What did she do wrong? Then Saka turned to her. "Those are the beasts your father hunted," she replied. "What were they like?" Koru asked. "Well, the deer beasts are really powerful. Their lesser form is even bigger than me! And when they transform to their beast form…" Saka felt a shiver. "What?! What?!" Koru pressed. "Well, their beast forms were almost bigger than the trees, and they had things called hooves on their front feet, which looked a little similar to rocks, antlers on their heads which looked like giant claws, and they had wolf claws on their back feet." An icy chill ran down Koru's spine. They sounded scary! "What are the bird beasts like?" Koru questioned. "Well, there are many types of bird beasts. But they all have feathers and have beaks for mouths! And the most powerful type is the eagle." "Eagle…?" Koru echoed. "Yes. Their heads are white and their bodies are brown. They have giant wings instead of flames that allow them to fly. They have talons almost as sharp as a wolf's claw on their feet. And their beast form is a griffin beast. A cross between an eagle and…another creature…" "What other creature?" Koru asked. "Well…" Saka was interrupted by a loud scream. "Help! Help!" it yelled. Shira let out a gasp of fear. "Oh no…that voice…it's my son! Akuyo!"

Chapter two

Koru raced beside Saka and Shira, her heart pounding. Both Saka and Shira were in their beast forms and normally Koru wouldn't be able to keep up, but determination gave Koru speed and strength and she knew that she was getting stronger.

Saka's beast form was a large white wolf with a shining pink crystal shape on her forehead. She also had a rose pink tail and pink feet.

Shira's beast form was a giant fox like Akuyo's, except she had twelve tails instead of six.

"What are those?!" Koru asked in alarm. Akuyo, (in his beast form), was battling a bunch of weird looking creatures. They looked like lizards, except bigger and they stood upright. They had claws on their feet and one claw was bigger than the other. There were three of them, all battling Akuyo. "Those are raptor beasts." Saka explained. "They're very nasty…" Koru stared wide eyed at the raptor beasts. She could tell they weren't in their beast forms…but when they transformed… she shivered. A loud roar erupted from Shira. "Get away from my baby!" she bellowed. The raptor beasts fled, hissing at Shira. Akuyo collapsed and transformed back into his lesser form, and so did Saka and Shira. "Those little horrors!" Akuyo said weakly, but you could still hear the hint of a growl in his voice. "They… stole my rabbit! But I caught them, and then they started to fight me!" Akuyo's growl got louder. "They mocked me…they didn't even fight me in their beast forms!" Akuyo coughed. "Shhh…you don't need to say anything, just sleep." Shira whispered.

"What is going on here?" Koru asked. "I've never seen those creatures in my life!" Saka sighed. "It looks like it's breaking…" she said. "What?! What are you talking about?!" Koru demanded. Saka lifted up her head. "Release…" she said. All of a sudden, the world around Koru disappeared. The jungle behind her that she loved to play in with Akuyo, the watering hole, the rocks, everything, vanished. All that has left was a dry wasteland, with no green grass to hide or play in, but sand. The sky looked a dismal gray instead of the usual cornflower blue. There were no watering holes in sight. "What…" Koru mumbled, but she was too shocked to speak. "I'm sorry Koru, but the world you lived in was an illusion I created. After all this time, I guess it was breaking and the creatures from the real world could get in…" "How could you?!" Koru said. "After all this time….it was all a fake?!" Koru turned and ran away from Saka. "Koru…!" Saka said. "Koru come back! It's dangerous!" "I don't care!" Koru yelled back. She was furious! How could her mother lie to her?! What did she do wrong?!

Chapter three

Akuyo awoke from his nest, his head spinning. The morning stretched out before him. The dew reflected a prism of flickering rainbow colors and touched the ground in a floating embrace of featherlike kisses. He had passed out from his wounds. His mother stood next to him. "Mother…?" He mumbled. Something was wrong. He couldn't smell the jungle or water anywhere. All he could smell was sand and rocks. His mother turned to him her eyes shining with relief. "You're alive…" she whispered. "Yeah, but where are we?" He asked, sitting up. He could tell his wounds were healed thanks to his mother, and that they were mostly just scratches and bites. "The seal has been broken…" his mother explained. Akuyo pricked up his ears. He knew about the seal and illusion but never told Koru. That reminded him. "Mother where's Koru?" he asked.

The rocks mocked the earth below majestic in size and splendid like gem stone colors mainly of indigos, azures and corals. As Saka roared her name she suddenly noticed her daughter, Koru, sitting on a cerulean rock. "Koru, please don't run off like that. There are horrible creatures here." "It's just…I can't believe you lied to me…" Koru said. "Koru…" Saka said. "It's just…I wanted to protect you…" "From what?!" Koru snapped cheekily. "The horrible creatures here?! So what! I can take them on!" Saka felt a flash of anger. "These creatures aren't anything like rabbit beasts! They're worse! Some of them are bigger than the jungle you used to play in!" Koru's ears pricked. Saka's anger died a bit. "Koru, the truth is, the planet you live on is the mixed planet. It is called that because it mixes a dessert, an ocean, ice, a jungle and…a center." "A center?" Koru asked. "What's that?" "When it has a center that means it is a rare planet. It hides one of the three great seals." "What's that?" Koru repeated. "Well, it happened when the universe was created. As you can see, the creators were treated like Gods to the beasts. But one wasn't. This was the legendary death beast. He was despised by the beasts because he created death. The death beast got extremely angry at this and started to destroy the universe so he could recreate by himself and make all the beasts worship him. The legendary life beast grew angry at this and gave all his power and his life to seal away the death beast at the bottom of the Universe. Since he had three tails, his tails were made into gems that kept the legendary death beast at the bottom of the Universe. But now, those three gems are starting to break, and the death beast is about to be unsealed. Beasts have started to become more violent and are ready to hunt other beasts. The Universe is becoming a dangerous place." "What did the death beast look like?" Koru asked. "Very horrible." Saka replied. "He represented an enormous Kobra like beast, with a blood red skull on his head and greeny gray wings. Just starring into those death blood red eyes could paralyze you for life." Koru eyes opened wide. She hoped the death beast would never be unsealed! She heard paw steps behind her and saw Akuyo and Shira. Akuyo bounded up toward her. "Welcome to the real Universe." He said. "So you knew too, huh." Koru said sadly. Akuyo laid down his ears. "I'm sorry Koru." All of a sudden the small group heard a small hissing sound and turned. "Oh no not them again!" Shira exclaimed.

Chapter Four

It was them. The Raptors. They stared at the group with eyes full of hunger. "So that jungle was all an illusion;" one of them said. "What a shame…I really liked it there…" The raptors took a step closer. Saka and Shira immediately transformed into their beast forms. "We were just toying with you last time… but now we will battle for real!" the lead raptor said.

The raptors transformed into their beast forms. Koru's eyes stretched wide with shock. Their beast forms were huge! They were about twice as big as Shira's and Saka's beast forms. They had spikes on their necks and tails, and giant horns on their heads. Their hissing sounds had turned to a roar. Saka turned to Akuyo and Koru. "Akuyo!" she yelled. "Get Koru out of here!" "But I can fight too!" Akuyo protested. Koru let out a low growl. "So can I!" She said. Akuyo turned to Koru. "But you don't have a beast form!" he told her. "I know!" she snapped back. "But Saka always told me that the neck is the weak point and I can just jump on that!" "They're raptors not Tyrannosaurus Rexes!" Akuyo said. "Their arms are bigger and they could scratch your spine out!" "No more arguing!" Saka said firmly. "Run! Get out of here! NOW!" She pushed Akuyo and Koru, and they both ran as fast as possible. The lead raptor beast turned to the raptor behind him. "Don't let those two get away! I want to eat all of them!" he ordered. His servant nodded and started to run, but Saka blocked his way. "Leave them alone!" she growled. The raptor snarled and leaped over her. "You!!" she growled. Two raptor beasts stood in her way, their eyes glowing. Shira was already fighting, using her giant 12 tails, which were as sharp as her fangs, to fight the raptor beasts. Her fangs dug deep into the neck of a raptor beast, while three of her tails dug into the chest of another one. Shira squeezed the neck of the raptor beast with her fangs, but then the raptor beast used its front claws and scratched Shira's neck. Shira let out a howl of pain and blood oozed from her neck. But she wasn't done yet! "Shira!" Saka called, but she was surrounded by giant raptor beasts. A ball of yellow fire formed in Shira's mouth. It shot straight into the neck of the raptor beast that wounded her. The raptor beast transformed back into his lesser form and died. The other raptor beasts around her roared with fury and about two of them jumped on her back and bit her neck, which were extremely painful for her because the raptor beasts were twice her size. She reared and stabbed her tails into their necks. Two other raptor beasts were left. But they turned tail and ran. Shira had scared them off. She let out a howl of triumph and turned to help Saka, but then she fell down without warning. Alarm rose in her head. The raptor beasts that had jumped onto her back had broken her spine!

Chapter five

Koru and Akuyo ran as fast as they could. The Raptor beast behind them was catching up. Its snapping jaws were just a paw length behind them. Before Koru could think another thought Akuyo transformed into his beast form, picked Koru up by the scruff, and took off into the air using the flames on the back of his feet to fly. The raptor beast stared at Akuyo flying off. "So you want to play, huh?" he said mockingly. Giant black wings sprouted from his back and took off in pursuit of the fox beast and the wolf.

"Enough!" the lead raptor beast told his followers. Saka was surrounded by them, but she bit and scratched and stabbed, (with her tail), at any raptor beast that would jump at her. The raptor beasts backed up in a giant circle that had the lead raptor beast and Saka in the middle. "I would like to finish this one myself." The lead raptor announced. "Yes, master Riptor!" one of his minions replied. "Riptor, so that's his name." Saka whispered to herself, staring at the lead raptor. Riptor was a lot bigger than all the other raptor beasts. His right eye had a giant scar on it. Saka wondered what horrible creature could give a scar to a raptor beast that big. His scales were the color of mossy green, whereas the other raptor beasts were a lighter sea green in color. He also had spectacular ebony wings on his back. His fangs looked that of a saber tooth tiger beast's fangs. Even though he was the scariest creature Saka had ever seen, she was not afraid because her determination was bigger than her fear. She was determined to defeat Riptor so she could fight off the raptor beast that was pursuing Akuyo and Koru. She let out a battle howl and charged toward Riptor.

Riptor flew over her and lowered his head. The black spikes on the back of his neck sprung off his neck and flew toward Saka. She dodged them and bit Riptor's tail. She drew back. His scales were as hard as armor! Riptor hit Saka with his tail. Saka fell onto the ground with a hard thump! Riptor roared mockingly at Saka. "Your fangs cannot harm me," he growled. "My scales are as hard as a horse beast's hoof." Saka howled in frustration and jumped backwards. "What the?!" Riptor roared. "Wolf claw!" Saka howled, her claws grew as big as Riptor's wings, and a ball of lightning surged around the wolf beast. She charged toward Riptor and her claws tore straight through Riptor's wing. Riptor let out a roar of pain and a coal colored beam shot out of his mouth, hitting Saka right on the back! "Ahhh!" Saka yelled in pain. "Cursed female!" Riptor roared. Both the raptor beast and the wolf beast charged into each other. Saka ran right past him and her sharp tail grazed his stomach. Even though it was a cut, Riptor roared in pain. Saka's ears pricked. She found a weak spot! Before she could turn around and hit him in the stomach directly with her tail; he jumped next to her and grabbed her neck with his fangs. She howled in panic. His fangs were digging right through her neck! He picked her up and shook her and then threw her to the ground with a great thud! All the raptor beasts roared in triumph. Saka lay very still on the sandy ground. Riptor let out a huge roar and turned to his comrades. "We shall eat the wolf beast first!" he roared. He turned back to the dead wolf beast and stood over her broken body. He whispered even in her ear: "You should be a little happier. Dying by my fangs is a privilege!"

But then, just before he could start eating her, wham! Her giant tail had struck straight through his stomach. He couldn't believe it! She was alive? No one could get bitten that badly by his fangs and survive! Her eyes opened and stared at him with cold fury. "I'll never be eaten by the likes of you!" she growled. The life started fading from his eyes; she had gone straight through his weak point. "Curse…you…" he mumbled. He felt the wolf beast's tail fall out of him and he crashed down onto the sand. He did not return to his lesser form, because his proud instinct didn't allow him to do so.

The other raptors stared wide eyed at the wolf beast and their leader. "R…Riptor is dead!" one exclaimed in shock. "Run away! Run away!" the others yelled. The raptor beasts returned to their lesser forms and scurried off.

Saka stared at the sun, and her eyes started to blink heavily. "Koru…Akuyo…" she whispered. "Be safe…"

Chapter six

"Let me go Akuyo!" Koru yelled, struggling to get free in the fox beast's firm grasp. "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" "Stop it!" He said irritably. It was hard for him to talk because he held Koru by the scruff and was flying as fast as he can. "You're acting like a baby!" He swung Koru onto his back. "There." he said with satisfaction. "You happy now?" Koru shook her head. "I hate running away! I want to help Saka and Shira!"

All of a sudden, a roar erupted behind them. "That raptor beast can fly?" Koru exclaimed in shock. "Sure looks like it." Akuyo replied. "I guess we have no choice but to fight now..." Akuyo managed to dodge out of the way as the raptor beast tried to crash into him. "Hang on!" Akuyo warned. Koru held onto Akuyo's back tightly, she knew it was a long way down. Akuyo let out a roar and his tails started glowing a vivid crimson. The raptor beast tried to charge into him again but a ball of flaming fire shot out of Akuyo's tails. "Eat this stupid raptor! Flame fox tail!" The attack hit the raptor beast on the chest and it let out a roar. All of a sudden Koru froze. She smelled blood. Not from the raptor beast that Akuyo was fighting, but blood from the ground. Then she realized that her mother might be in danger! Her determination to help her mother had now possessed her. She jumped off of Akuyo's back. "NO!" Akuyo yelled. "Koru don't go crazy on me now…! It's suicide!"

Koru didn't hear the yells of Akuyo or the roars of the raptor beast. All she could think of now was her mother. She then felt a surge of power.

"What…the…" Akuyo gasped in shock. Bright blue flames were forming around Koru's claws! The raptor beast had finally stopped roaring in pain and stared down at Koru and grinned at her. "She looks amusing…" he said, licking his chops. The raptor beast must have noticed the blue flames on Koru's feet… Akuyo thought to himself. He saw the raptor beast dive after her. "Oh no you don't!" he growled, pursuing the raptor beast.

Koru finally landed on the ground, but then, she saw something that made her heart twist. Her mother. Lying on the ground. Unmoving. Blood oozing from her neck and back. Her body covered with bites and scratches. "No…" she murmured. "NO!!!" She ran up to her mother. "Mother…no…" she murmured. But then, like magic, her mother's eyes opened slowly. They were not the beautiful deep purple eyes that she was used to, they looked black and empty. Her snowy white fur was covered in dust. Her mother looked as if she was a hundred years old. "Koru…?" she said in a voice so weak that Koru was afraid if her mother spoke too much she would die. "Yes mother, I'm here." she replied softly, licking her mother gently. "Oh…my precious Koru…you're safe…I'm so glad…" "Mother, don't speak! It's too much for you!" Koru told her. But her mother shook her head. "No….I must tell you…you must meet…Shikana… she dwells at the ice part of this planet…" "Shikana…?" Koru repeated. Saka coughed and blood fell out from her mouth. "Good…bye…Koru…" she whispered. "No…no! Wait!" Koru said in panic. "I…lo..ve…you…my…prec…ious…K…o…r…u…." her words were disappearing like light fading into darkness. "Mother? Mother!" Koru panicked. "Please mother! I can't live without you! Mother!! MOTHER!!!!"

Chapter seven

Koru woke up at the crack of dawn. She had been so very sad at her mother dying that she decided to sleep next to her one last time. Her mother told her that when a beast died, it became a planet. But if you sleep by it on the night it died, it will not become a planet; it remains as a spirit, which guides you forever. And after 1,000 years, the spirit will be sent up to the top of the Galaxy, which lays a place called "true heaven". This was a paradise where all types of beasts met together in peace, and there were no fighting, no killing. It really was a true paradise. When evil beasts die, their body disappears and they are sent straight down to the bottom of the Galaxy called the "Death Hole." There, fighting and killing is practically the only thing that happens there, and worse still, that was where the death beast was sealed. When a beast is sealed, it is sent straight down to Death Hole.

"Koru…?" Koru recognized that voice. It was Akuyo. "I'm here." she replied. Akuyo's ears pricked up at the sight of Saka's dead body. "So they got your mother too…" he said sadly. "What you mean?" Koru asked. "Look." Akuyo told her. Oh no… Koru thought horribly. It was Shira. Her body looked dusty and was completely covered in blood. Her throat had three giant scratches on them, three of her tails had small bite marks on them, but her back looked worse. Blood poured from it; it looked like her back had been completely torn open. She looked more wounded than Saka. "Those blasted raptors…" she growled through clenched teeth. "The raptor that we fought ran off when he saw his leader's dead body." Akuyo explained. Koru felt a small twinge of satisfaction. At least Shira and Saka managed to kill the leader! That'll teach those raptor beasts! "What do we do now?" Akuyo whispered his eyes wide. "Our mothers are gone…what's gonna happen to us?" Koru felt a wave of sympathy for her friend. He was frightened and alone. When Koru lived in the illusion Saka created, Akuyo had always acted proud and brave, and even if he was scared, he would try to hide it and laugh instead. But she knew he couldn't fight it this time. I have to be brave. She told herself firmly. I have to be brave for Akuyo… Then she remembered something her mother had said to her. "You must meet Shikana…She dwells at the at the ice part of this planet…" her mother's words echoed in her head. "The ice part of this planet…" Koru repeated. "What…?" Akuyo asked. "That's where Shikana lives…" Koru went on. "Koru, what are you talking about?" Akuyo asked. Koru felt his fear turned to anxiety. "My mother mentioned that we had to meet Shikana and that she lives at the ice part of this planet." "Shikana?" Akuyo asked, confused. "Who is that?" Koru shook her head. "I don't know…" she replied. "But we don't know until we find out. We will head to the ice part of the Mixed Planet!"

Chapter eight

"So how do we get to the ice part of the Mixed Planet?" Akuyo questioned Koru. The two had buried Saka and Shira and then headed off across the desert. "Well, we find a beast that seems quite knowledgeable and friendly, and we ask him." "If he doesn't try to chop off our heads first…" Akuyo commented negatively.

"Akuyo, can you see the ice part from the sky?" Koru asked him. "Well, I could try." he replied. He transformed into his beast form and flew up into the sky. "Well, what do you see?" Koru yelled from down below. Akuyo's ears laid back in disappointment. "Nothing. Just miles and miles of sand." he yelled. "Oh that's great…" Koru murmured. Akuyo landed next to Koru, transforming back into his lesser form. Koru pricked up her ears again. "Well, we'll just have to keep going." she said determinedly. "But Koru it'll take forever!" Akuyo told her. "We'll probably die of starvation or dehydration!" "I would risk my soul to fulfill my mother's last wish!" She growled in his face. Akuyo shrank back. He had never seen Koru look so ticked off. "Now quit whining." she repeated. "Let's go." Akuyo padded reluctantly behind Koru, his face filled with irritation. They didn't even know this Shikana! And how in the galaxy did Saka expect them to find her? Then fear grabbed him. He remembered Shira telling him about the horrible creatures here. "Back in my day…" his mother's words rang through his head. "The Mixed Planet wasn't dying. There was plenty of prey and fruit there. But now…prey is vanishing. Carnivores prey on other Carnivores, and creatures are becoming smaller with starvation." Would he and Koru start eating other carnivores? Akuyo shivered at the thought. "Come on Akuyo you're lagging behind!" Koru yelled. Akuyo shook his head and ran up to the wolf.

In the ocean part of the Mixed Planet, a skinny looking coyote with amber eyes padded up beside the ocean. He bent his head down to lap but as soon as his tongue touched the water he drew back in disgust. "Yuck!" he growled. "Even the filthiest lake is better than this junk!" He turned around to find a watering hole but all of a sudden, he heard a loud roar. The coyote let out a laugh. "I never knew my stomach could make so much noise!" He heard another roar, which made the ground shake. The coyote's tail shrank beneath his legs. "All right that is defiantly not my stomach!" he said in fright. He turned behind him. A mega shark fin! He started to turn tail and run but before he could move the giant shark jumped out of the water and landed in front of him. "Ahhhh!" the coyote screamed. The huge mega shark was bigger than the biggest tree the coyote had ever seen! The coyote shrank back, shivering with fright. "Finally…." the mega shark growled. "I have found prey!" "Oh, you wouldn't want to eat me!" the coyote said nervously. "I'm all tough and boney!" "I'll eat anything I want!" the shark growled. "Gahhh!" the coyote yelled in fright and hid his face under his tail. The shark's voice sounded very deep and scary like. He opened his humongous jaws and prepared to eat the coyote. "W…wait!" the coyote yelled. The mega shark closed his jaws. "Oh, what is it now?" he asked irritably. "I…I…know others!" the coyote stammered, his voice shaking. "Others…?" the mega shark asked. "Yes! I can bring some more juicer prey here!" "Juicy…?" the mega shark echoed. "Yes…juicy…yummy prey!" "Yummy…?" the mega shark repeated again, licking his chops. "I can bring them to you…" the coyote told him. "Juicy…yummy…!" the mega shark repeated again to himself. "I bring juicy yummy prey to you…" the coyote said convincingly. The mega shark turned to him. "ME WANT JUICY YUMMY PREY!" he suddenly screamed. The coyote pricked his ears. This giant monster shark was acting like a baby! But then the giant shark stopped screaming. His glittering evil eyes stared straight into the coyote's heart. Now the coyote felt more scared now. "Bring me juicy yummy prey! You have five days only, no more!" "Five days…?" the coyote echoed. "How about a month?" "Five days it is then!" the shark said, ignoring him. "And don't think you can run away." he growled. "I have a third eye, and I can use it to hunt you down!" the coyote nodded and ran off.

Chapter nine

That night Koru dreamed about her brother. Her mother told her that her brother had fallen to the bottom of the Galaxy when she was still very young. But that night, she dreamed her brother was still with her, along with Saka and Shira. The three of them, herself, her brother and Akuyo had brought down a deer beast. She remembered her brother had midnight black fur. Even though it seemed years ago, she remembered when she had first been born and still remembered the feel of her brother's ebony prickly pelt against hers, always tickling her. What was her brother's name again? Oh yes it was Kuroi!

"Man I'm thirsty!" Akuyo complained as Koru and herself traveled further that morning. Koru felt the same way. She felt hungry too. They hadn't eaten since before Saka and Shira died.

All of a sudden, Koru scented something. Rabbit! Akuyo must have scented it too, for he dropped into his hunting crouch beside Koru and they both followed the warming scent of rabbit.

The rabbit scent led to a cave. Akuyo nodded at Koru and they began to creep inside. But then Koru halted. She smelled another unfamiliar scent. Akuyo seemed to know what it was and backed away, signaling with his tail for Koru to follow him. Out of nowhere, a giant cat beast leaped out of the cave a paw step in front of them. It let out a tremendous roar that sounded similar to a magnificent lion. It was had two tails and a shiny black pelt. The tips of his tails and the bottom of his paws were glowing iridescent blue. He also had icy blue markings around his eyes. "Intruders!" He roared, his eyes showing extreme anger. "Fox beast and wolf beast!" A small cute sounding voice questioned; "how old are they?" "Just pups." The cat beast replied. "Pups? Well let them in at…" before she could finish her sentence, the beast erupted into a coughing fit. "Neka!" the black cat beast hissed. He went inside the cave. Koru and Akuyo exchanged glances, wondering whether to follow him or not. "Are you coming or not?" snarled the black cat beast from inside the cave. "Coming!" Koru replied and she and Akuyo both went inside.

Chapter ten

The cave was dismally dark and reeked of damp. It wasn't entirely pitch black because Koru could spot the black cat beast. She only saw his ice blue eyes and the light blue tips on his tails and paws. "Follow me." he ordered.

Koru and Akuyo followed the black cat beast to the back of the cave. They both spotted a small cat beast. Her pelt was a sandy yellow color and she had bright pearly pink eyes. The tips of her two tails and paws were tinged with black. She had shiny black markings on top of her eyes. "Welcome." she purred. "Sister…" the black cat beast growled to her. "Is it really okay to let these outsiders stay with us?" "Outsiders?" the female cat beast asked in shock. "What outsiders? Those two are beasts just like us!" "Yes but they're not cat beasts," the male cat told his sister. The female cat beast bristled. "I don't care if they are tyrannosaurus rex beasts! They will be staying with us!" The black cat beast ignored his bossy sister and turned to Koru and Akuyo, his ice blue eyes glowing with rage. "If you harm a hair on my sister…" he scowled. "Then I will drench the Mixed Planet with your guts!" "Well he sounds friendly…" Akuyo muttered sarcastically to Koru. The female cat beast hissed at her brother. "I apologize for my brother's selfish behavior," she told them. "I am Neka and Mr. Aggressive over there is Neko." Neko turned away and laid down on the cold floor, ignoring them. "I am Koru and this is Akuyo." Koru replied. "Make yourselves at home." Neka told them warmly. She picked up a half eaten rabbit. "Go on." she said. Akuyo and Koru howled with delight and dug in. It wasn't much but at least they had some food in their bellies. Koru lifted her head. "You don't happen to have any water around here do you?" she asked. "Of course." Neka replied, pointing with one of her tails to a small pond. "Whoo-hoo!" Akuyo howled and the two pups jumped in the pond. Neko and Neka watched them. "Ah, pups…" Neka said. "I remember when we were just small kittens…back in the good old days. What happened to your fun side?" Neka asked. "I got over it." Neko muttered. "Oh come on I know you still have a part of that inside you!" Neka pushed. Neko shook his head. "Look sister, you need your rest. You know you need it." Neka sighed. "Well, if you insist." she groaned. She laid down. "Just you wait until I get better you! I swear I'll awaken that fun side of you!"

Chapter Eleven

That night Akuyo heard paw steps. He opened his eyes and spotted Neko slipping out of the cave. I wonder what he's up to… the fox thought to himself. He was too tired to follow him. He would ask Neko tomorrow.

Akuyo awoke at the sound of coughing. He stood up, stretched his muscles and padded over to Neka. The small cat beast was coughing up a storm! "Koru! Get over here!" Akuyo yelled. Koru ran over to Akuyo and Neka. "That doesn't look good." Koru mumbled as she stared at the sick cat beast. Neka's bright yellow fur had turned a pale golden and her beautiful black markings had looked like granite. "Where's Neko?!" Koru asked. "He's not here, I saw him sneak off that night." Akuyo replied. Koru's fur stood up. "You saw him? Akuyo why didn't you follow him?!" she demanded. "I…um…" Akuyo stammered. "Neka!" yelled the voice of the black cat beast. "See there he is!" Akuyo said, relieved. Neko ran up to his sister. Neka had passed out from coughing. "Neko can you tell us what's going on?!" Koru asked the black cat beast. Neko sneered at Koru. "This is none of your business!" he hissed. "Please! We might be able to help!" she begged. Neko shot them a suspicious glare. "If you tell anyone…" he threatened. "We won't!" Koru vowed. "Alright. The truth is, Neka is really sick. It started when we first lost our parents. There was no food or water anywhere. So we traveled for days and days. But then, one day, we spotted a giant land of water. Neka was on the verge of dying from dehydration. But when she spotted that massive desert of water, she ran toward it and drunk so much of it. She said it tasted really horrible but she was so thirsty. I stayed away from it, because even the scent sickened me. But a couple of hours later Neka started coughing and throwing up. I picked her up and started to look for a cave. Luckily, I managed to find this cave, with fresh water. She and I drank some, which made her better for a couple of days, but she still coughed a lot. And now she's starting to feel worse today," he lowered his head. "But where did you go last night?" Akuyo pressed. "I was looking for some herb that could heal her. I went back to the horrible water she drank and met a seagull beast. He told me that she could have accidentally swallowed a poisonous fish, and that there was an antidote. He told me that the antidote was called "the golden flower" and that it was located in the small forest next to the ocean. Before I could find it, I realized it was getting too light out, and that you would notice I was gone, so I hurried to the cave." Akuyo and Koru were silent for a moment. Then a look of determination flashed in Akuyo's eyes. "I'll go with you Neko. You could use some help finding that golden flower and especially if some creature's guarding it!" Neko nodded. "Alright. Let's go then." he replied. "But what about…" Koru began. Akuyo shook his head. "Stay here with Neka." he ordered. Koru looked irritated but sat down without question. Akuyo turned back to Neko. "Now," he said determinedly. "Let's go get that flower!"

Chapter twelve

Akuyo and Neko trudged through the small forest next to the ocean. The trees whipped around and swayed in the wind blanketing the rough earth and the spartan yellowing grass which resembled decaying teeth. They both followed the scent of flower. But there was another unfamiliar scent and Neko stopped suddenly and Akuyo bumped into him. "Hey watch it!" he growled. Neko seemed not to have heard him. "Smell that?" he asked. "Of course I do! I have a nose you know!" Neko ignored Akuyo's rude attitude and went on. "It's antelope," he informed Akuyo.

Akuyo's fur lay flat as he questioned "Antelope?" "Shhh!" Neko hissed quietly. "Antelope's are very sensitive and very dangerous. Their horns can be sharper than my claws; they're way scarier than deers." Akuyo nodded. He lifted his head up and spotted a grazing antelope with huge cylindrical horns. Akuyo saw a glowing light behind it. "The golden flower! He must be guarding it!" he exclaimed loudly in shock. The Antelope lifted up his head. "Who are you?" he yelled. Neko flashed Akuyo an angry glance and leaped out of the bush they were hiding in. The Antelope let out a startled yelp. "My name is Neko." the cat beast told the antelope. "We need that golden flower. You see…" He was cut off by a growl from the antelope. "A carnivore! I cannot let a carnivore get his filthy claws on the golden flower!" The antelope let out a giant roar that sounded like a cross between a horse sound and a bull sound. The antelope transformed into his beast form, which resembled a cross between an antelope and a bull, giant silver wings sprouted from his back. "I am Shinosuke, the guard of the golden flower! I will not allow a carnivore to take it!" he roared. "I will defend this precious flower with my life!" The antelope beast lowered his horns. "Prepare yourself carnivore!" Neko hissed at the giant antelope beast. "If you want a fight you got one!" he growled. He jumped onto Shinosuke's back and dug his saber tooth like fangs into him. Shinosuke let out a cry and bucked him off. "You treacherous carnivore! I'll kill you for that!" He yelled. He lowered his horns and charged into the cat beast. Neko just about managed to jump out of the way, his knee so dangerously close to being sliced off by Shinosuke. Neko landed behind Shinosuke and scratched him on the back of his leg. "GAHHH!" Shinosuke yelled in pain. He twisted around and pinned Neko in between his horns. "Blast!" Neko cursed. The antelope beast had him trapped! Shinosuke raised a hoof, preparing to crush Neko.

"Oh no!" Akuyo yelled. "I've gotta help him!" He changed into his beast form and charged into Shinosuke. Shinosuke stared at him. "Two carnivores?!" he shockingly remarked. Then the rage in his eyes died. "You must be pretty desperate then. Tell me, why do you need the golden flower?" "It's my little sister…" Neko replied, panting. "She drank ocean water…and now she's sick…" "Little?" Shinosuke echoed. "You mean little as in…a child?" "Yes." Neko replied quickly. "Believe it or not we're all children. My companion over here is a pup and so is his companion. My sister and I are still kits, even though I don't look it. I always stay in my beast form it makes me feel strong and proud. I love my sister's beast form, but she only uses it in battle." "I see, I see…" Shinosuke mumbled. "Well carnivore or no carnivore, children are the future of the universe and I cannot allow any of you to die so quickly! You may take the golden flower!"

Chapter thirteen

"You found it!" Koru cried in joy as she spotted Neko and Akuyo. Akuyo carried the golden flower in his jaws, because Neko was afraid he might rip the flower accidentally with his saber tooth like fangs.

"There was an antelope beast guarding it." Akuyo told Koru. "Which explains why Neko has some scratches on him." "Antelope beast?" Koru echoed in confusion. "They're a lot similar to deer beasts, except more powerful." Akuyo told her.

"Neko! Neko! Wake up!" Neka yelled the next morning, nudging her brother awake. "I'm better! I guess that golden flower of yours really did do the trick!" The black cat beast lifted his head, relieved to see his sister better again. "Oh Neka…I'm so glad you're okay…" Neko said, washing his sister's back. Neka leaped away from him playfully. "Now I'll awaken your fun side!" she laughed. "Oh no I'd better run!" Neko said, running. Koru and Akuyo watched the two cat beasts play together. Akuyo suppressed a sigh. "Well, come on Koru." he said. "We've got a long journey ahead of us…" "Journey?" Neka asked. She padded up to the fox beast and wolf beast. "What Journey?" "Well you see, we've lost our parents just like you. My mother's last wish was for me to meet Shikana. She mentioned Shikana lived in the ice part of the Mixed Planet. But for half my life I've lived in my mother's illusion, I'm not familiar with the real Universe…." "You're looking for Shikana? The Shikana?" Neko asked. "Yeah." Akuyo replied. "And I grew up with Koru, so that's why we're traveling together, plus my mother mentioned about Shikana too." "Can we come with you?" Neka asked immediately. "If you're going to see Shikana I would give my life to see her!" Neko added. "Are you saying you know who she is?" Koru questioned. "Of course we do. Our parents told us stories about her. She's the legendary horse beast and she guards the legendary ice planet. Once every thousand years she comes to the ice part of the Mixed Planet!" "A legendary horse beast…?" Koru echoed. She'd remembered her mother describing horse beasts to her. "I have a friend in the jungle part that knows how to get there." Neko said. "But you have to cross that giant ocean to get to the jungle part…" "Well we don't know until we try!" Koru said determinedly. "Come on gang let's go!"

Chapter Fourteen

Koru and the others were traveling to the ocean. It was just a mile ahead of them. But then, Neko stopped. "Everyone stay still!" he warned. "What are you talking about…" Akuyo was interrupted by a blast of wind that knocked him off his paws. "Akuyo!" Koru cried. "Stay there! Don't move! Try to hold onto the sand!" Neko and Neka yelled. Akuyo and Koru did as they commanded. They dug their paws into the sand and held on. The wind was hissing furiously like a giant snake and soon enough the gray clouds turned into dark shimmering silver gray mist.

It was worse than Neko had expected. It wasn't just a small sandstorm passing by; it was a giant tornado beast! "Forget holding onto the sand! RUN!" Neko roared. The four beasts took off immediately after Neko's order and ran as fast as they could. Koru looked behind her shoulder. A couple of paw lengths behind them was a mass of twirling dark silver gray clouds with glooming ruby red eyes. Koru saw a mouth full of glistening teeth inside the tornado. It looked like it was pleased with itself, for finding a couple of beasts to chew on. It flew after them; Koru could hear its evil deep laughter. "It's gaining on us!" Neka yelled. Since her lesser form was so small she rode on Neko's back. All of a sudden, a skinny coyote leaped in front of them. "Over here!" he yelled. The four beasts obeyed him without question.

They hid inside a small dank cave while the tornado beast passed by. Neko nodded at the coyote. "Thank you. We'll be going now," he concluded. "Wait!" the coyote replied. "Are you heading for the ocean?" Koru nodded. "We're headed to the ice part to meet Shikana!" she told him. Neko flashed her an annoyed glance. "The ice part? You know you have to cross the ocean right?" the coyote told her. Koru nodded. "Do you know how?" she asked. "Oh heck yes!" the coyote replied. "As a matter of fact, I know a short cut! Follow me!" Neko didn't like this coyote. His voice was very sneaky and sinister. "Wait!" he called. The beasts stopped and looked at him. "I don't think we should trust this guy…" "Neko!" his sister hissed. "He saved our lives! And now he's helping us get to the ocean!" Neko bristled. "I already know the way!" he hissed back. "Your way is too long and dangerous!" Akuyo snapped, joining the argument. Neko glared at him. "Come on Neko!" Koru begged. "He seems friendly enough!" "Pheh! Yeah right!" Neko growled. "Please brother, we'll be safer down here!" Neka begged. The black cat beast stared down at his sister's cherry blossom like gaze. He knew he couldn't resist those beautiful eyes. Well, if his sister trusted that coyote that much…he suppressed a sigh. "Oh all right!" he said reluctantly. The coyote nodded and led them deeper into the cave. Neka rubbed against Neko's paw. "Thank you brother…" she whispered.

Chapter fifteen

They were about halfway through the tunnels when the coyote stopped abruptly. Koru bumped into him accidentally. "What's wrong?" she questioned. The coyote pointed with his tail at three tunnels that led different ways. "Can you guess which way?" he asked.

Neko bristled. "That nasty idiot's testing us!" he hissed quietly to his sister. "So what? We might need to know this if we get trapped somewhere!" she hissed back.

Akuyo's ears laid back in confusion. Neko glared at the coyote. Neka looked at her paws, trying to figure out which tunnel. Koru sniffed the air, and finally caught a small trace of salt in the air! She pointed to the tunnel on the right side. "That one!" she answered, pointing with her tail at the right sided tunnel. "Ah, very good." the coyote commented proudly. Koru smiled warmly.

"Oh mister coyote!" Koru exclaimed. "What's your name?" "It's Howler." he replied.

As soon as they reached the end of the tunnel, Koru ran outside. She stared at the massive desert of ocean. She blinked. "I've never seen so much water in my life…" she murmured. Akuyo wrinkled his nose. "I hate that odd smell…" he growled. Koru remembered Akuyo had come here before to help Neko get the golden flower so seeing this water desert wasn't a total shocker for him. Neko and Neka were last out of the tunnel. "This is gonna be a problem…" Neko complained. "Well, we could just fly over right couldn't we?" Akuyo suggested. Neko shook his head. "No. I have to put up a special barrier that makes us invisible, and I can't do it in the air." "A barrier? Why?" Akuyo questioned. "There are some creatures in that ocean that can fly as well as swim. They could jump out of the ocean, grab our necks then throw us into the water and drown us! Simple as that!" Neko explained. Akuyo clinched the sand in frustration. "Maybe Howler could help us!" Koru said suddenly. Everyone except Neko brightened at the thought.

Koru walked toward Howler. The coyote beast was staring out into the ocean as if expecting someone. "Um, Mr. Howler sir…?" Koru asked him shyly. "Sorry if this is too much trouble but, do you know how to get across the ocean without flying?" "Farewell." he replied. "Wha…" Koru was cut off as a giant mega shark leaped out of the ocean. "JUICY PREY!" he yelled.

Chapter sixteen

Koru just managed to leap out of the way as the giant mega shark came crashing down, but ended up face down in the sand. "What the?! A mega shark?!" Akuyo gasped, changing into his beast form. Neko's fur stood on end and he hissed at the mega shark. And, for the first time, Koru spotted Neka changing into her beast form.

Neka's beast form had the same shape as Neko's. But instead of blue markings on the tips of her tails and around her eyes, she had black markings. She had golden yellow fur instead of black. She also did have saber tooth like fangs and long sharp claws. She crouched, ready for the mega shark to pop his head out of the sand.

Finally, the mega shark got his head out of the sand. He growled at Koru, showing sharp teeth. "Pheh!" he said as he spat out some sand. His red eyes turned to Howler. But to Koru's surprise they showed no anger, but surprise. "You did bring juicy yummy prey!" he told Howler. "Then I guess I won't kill you."

Neko spun toward Howler. "So this is your doing! I knew it all along!" he snarled, showing his saber tooth fangs. "You traitor…I'll rip out your insides and feed them to the crocodile beasts!" Howler stepped back, lost for words. "You guys take care of that megalodon!" Neko ordered his sister and the others. "And I'll take care of this devil hearted traitor!"

Before he could take another step toward Howler, Neka jumped in front of him. "Stop!" she yelled. "What are you doing?! Don't you see? He betrayed us!" Neko yelled. "He must have a good reason for doing this!" Neka hissed. She turned to Howler her eyes soft. "Right?" she asked him. Howler's eyes stared at his paws in shame. "That…that monster said he was going to kill me…" the coyote explained. "But if I brought him food he would think otherwise…" "You dare mistake me for prey?!" Neko hissed furiously. Neka whipped around and glared at him. Neko's ears lay flat. The female cat beast turned back to Howler. "Don't worry we'll make sure he won't kill you." she soothed. Neko stared wide eyed at his sister. "How can you be so soft on him?!" he demanded. Neka's gaze met his evenly. "Have you forgotten what our mother once told us?" she said, her voice stern. "If you want to be a true cat beast then you protect the innocent!" Neko opened his mouth to argue but Neka ran one of her tails across his mouth. "Now come on!" she growled determinately, "we've got a coyote to defend!"

Chapter seventeen

Neka and Neko jumped on the back of the shark, digging their saber tooth like fangs into it. Koru jumped onto the top of the shark's snout, leaving small scratches on the top of his jaws. Akuyo leaped onto the shark's massive fin and dug his sharp tails into its back.

The giant shark let out a screech and wings grew out of his back. These wings were like giant claws, and picked up Neko, Neka and Akuyo and threw them off the shark's back. Only Koru hung on, digging her fangs as hard as she could into the shark. The giant wings couldn't reach her there, and the shark continued screaming and roaring. It jumped back into the water and swam around in pain. "Koru!" Akuyo screamed. He jumped in the air and prepared to help her but before he could get any closer to the shark its wings whacked him in the face. Akuyo landed with a thud on the shore.

Wham! The shark smashed face first into a giant rock, Koru caught right in the impact. She let out a howl of pain and fainted. The shark backed away from the rock, his nose hurting like crazy and his head spun.

Howler stared at the battle, not sure what to do. It would not be long until the shark would dive under water and grab Koru, (who was sinking). "Darn it!" Akuyo cursed. He crouched ready to take off again, but Howler had made up his mind. He stepped in front of Akuyo, blocking his way. "Get out of my way!" Akuyo snarled. "No…" Howler murmured. "It's my fault, I'm the one who led you here…so I'm going to finish this!"

A blast of emerald green light erupted from Howler's body. "He's transforming?!" Neka gasped.

Finally, Howler's transformation was complete. His beast form resembled a giant coyote with golden fur and silver markings. His eyes were the color of emeralds. He let out a giant howl and took off, flames shimmering like diamonds forming around his silver claws.

Chapter eighteen

Howler dove head first into the water. He spotted Koru sinking down into the turquoise ocean; the impact must have left her unconscious. The shark was still swimming around at the surface, shaking its head in pain after smashing head first into that rock.

Howler ignored the giant shark and swam to Koru and picked her up by the scruff and lifted her out of the water.

"Koru! Koru!" Akuyo yelled desperately as soon as Howler had gently put the wolf beast back on land. "Hey you alright kid?" Neko asked her. "Koru please wake up!" Neka begged. Howler hung his head in shame. If Koru died, it would be all his fault. But then, Koru woke up and threw up some sea water. "Koru! You're okay!" Akuyo cheered. Howler suppressed a sigh of relief. Neko turned to face him. But, instead of hostile glaring ice-blue eyes with a snarl, he looked at Howler with a warm smile. "Looks like you're not that bad after all," he confessed. Howler blinked, not sure what to say, but then nodded. "Man!" Koru growled, coughing. "That is the worst water I ever tasted! Neka must have been really thirsty to drink this pig dung!" All the others laughed warmly. Akuyo pressed his pelt against Koru's. "It's alright, I'm not really cold or anything, I'm fine." Koru told him. The fox beast flinched back immediately, slightly embarrassed. "You're right," he admitted.

All of a sudden, Howler's fur stood on end and a growl rose from his throat. His growl sounded like a dog, only more deeper. "What is it?" Neka asked him. "That blasted shark!" he snarled. The others turned to see the giant mega shark climbing back onto the shore. "Juicy prey will not get away!" he roared. Akuyo turned back to his beast form. Neka, Neko, Howler and Akuyo all stood in front of Koru, shielding her from the megalodon. "You'll never get your filthy fins on Koru!" Akuyo growled, his bristling tail standing straight up in the air. "No…juicy…prey…?" the Mega shark gasped. "That's right no juicy prey for you!" Neko howled. "I've left my cowardly nature behind me and I will not let you have Koru!" Howler roared. "Get out!" Neka hissed.

Koru could feel tension among everyone. They expected the mega shark to transform into its beast form, a humongous monster. They crouched, ready for it to transform. But then, "WAAAHHHHH!!!" the mega shark burst out crying like a baby puppy that had wet its bedding.

Chapter nineteen

The others exchanged glances, not sure what to do next. Neko let out a hiss. "His guard is down! Let's attack now!" he commanded. "No! Let's just push him back into the water!" Neka murmured back. "That mega shark has problems…" Akuyo whispered. "No he doesn't!" Koru growled.

Everyone turned to face the wolf, wondering if she had figured out something. "Can't you see? That shark is just a kid, just like us! He may have lost his parents as well so he can no longer hunt for himself, that poor shark is probably more hungrier than all of us!" Koru explained. "Well he sure is big for his age." Akuyo replied. "Duh! He's a mega shark!" Howler snapped back.

Koru walked past the others and walked up to the crying megalodon. "Careful!" Akuyo warned. "Like Koru said he's just a kid!" Neka reminded him.

"Hey, it's all right." Koru comforted, reassuring the mega shark. "I know how you feel. My friends and I lost our parents too." "No parents…?" the shark whimpered. "Yeah, we lost them…" she replied. The mega shark burst out crying again. "Momma! Dadda!" he wailed. "He's not just a kid he's a baby." Neko muttered to Neka.

"Its okay, it's okay…" Koru spoke softly, like a mother speaking to her pup. "I'll help you find juicy prey," she told him. The mega shark stopped crying. "Yummy juicy prey…?" he whimpered. "Yes…" Koru replied.

"Now lift up your nose and smell…" Koru directed. "Smell…." The mega shark repeated. He lifted up his nose just as Koru told him and scented the air. A juicy scent hit his nostrils. Fish! He spotted several of them. "There's your juicy prey." Koru told him. "JUICY PREY!" he bellowed. He jumped back into the ocean and swam toward the small fish. The fish spotted him and transformed into their beast forms, which resembled giant fish with wings, about the size of a regular whale. But even in their beast forms, the megalodon was still bigger than them and gobbled them up with one bite. He swam back toward Koru. "Friend!" he smiled cheerfully.

All of a sudden, Neka had an idea. "Hey Neko!" she said to her brother. The black cat beast turned to her. "Yeah?" he asked. "We could ride on that megalodon to the forest part!" she suggested to him. Neko's ears pricked up. "Good idea!" he replied. Neka, returning to her lesser form, walked up to the mega shark.

"Kitty…" the mega shark muttered. "Yes…but kitty needs your help…" Neka replied. "Kitty need help?" the mega shark repeated. "Can you take kitty and her friends to forest?" Neka asked. The mega shark nodded, understanding. "Tiny take Kitty and friends to forest!" the mega shark said. "Tiny, so that's his name." Howler verified. "Well that's a fitting name for a giant megalodon!" Neko said sarcastically.

"Hop on then everyone!" Tiny announced. Howler couldn't stop himself from bursting out laughing. "One minute he acts like a baby then the next minute he acts normally! What is with this shark?!" he asked the rhetorical question.

When everyone was on the megalodon's back, Neko's tail glowed a sapphire blue. A barrier formed around Tiny and the others. "Please keep your tails and paws inside the shark at all times." Tiny announced. "And I hope you enjoy your trip to the island!" And after he said that, Tiny dove into the sea.

Chapter twenty

Koru stared at the magnificent world around her. This world was full of life. There were giant stingrays that loomed above her, dolphins with flaxen wings that soared like birds through the water. A school of large seahorses and a school of small clownfish swam together side by side. A group of baby sea birds played happily together. The rocks took on a persona of horrification as the waves continually slapped them maliciously in the face. Koru then gasped. She saw a small family of sea wolves! Two giant sea wolves swam by her as if she wasn't there but the baby sea wolf stopped and sniffed. Had it scented her? An annoyed growl rose from the father. The baby sea wolf lifted its head and swam back to its parents. The mother sea wolf licked her child warmly and nudged him forward. A stab of sadness pierced Koru's stomach. She wished her mother were still here….

"If I'm dreaming don't wake me…" Akuyo whispered. Koru looked at the fox beast and saw that he was staring around him at the underwater world. Both of Neka's tails were wagging, she looked like an excited dog beast. Neko said nothing. "I'd never thought the ocean could be so beautiful…" Howler exclaimed surprisingly. "The taste of it hurts my tongue though…" he added. "Did you see them?" Koru asked Akuyo abruptly. Akuyo jolted, as if Koru had woken him up from a dream. "Uh…see what?" he stammered. "The sea wolves! Aren't they astonishing?" Koru replied. Akuyo laughed. "Didn't your mother tell you that they were extinct?" he told her. Koru shook her head. "No. They were real I swear!" she retorted. "Yeah right." Akuyo shot back sarcastically. "But you are right about the ocean being astonishing. It probably could create illusions too." Koru stared down at her paws. "But it wasn't an illusion…" she whispered to herself.

At night, the ocean waves had turned from light blue to midnight blue, mocking the ink black sky. But it wasn't entirely pitch black. You could still see the giant stingrays looming above. Koru and the others, (except for Tiny), had fallen asleep. The gentle cries of the beasts of the ocean soothed them.

Howler had an odd dream. He dreamed that he was swimming through the middle of the ocean, but then he spotted a tunnel. The tunnel looked very dark and scary so he swam over it. He continued his swimming, starting to really enjoy it when, the ocean had suddenly become darker. He looked around him. There weren't any giant stingrays, no sea horses, no life here. He looked beneath him and spotted bones. He shivered. Then when he looked up again he saw a beast. It was a giant prehistoric whale. It was four times bigger than the mega shark, and way scarier looking. Howler gasped with terror and tried to swim away from the abominable form. The creature had spotted him and swam, faster than lightning next to him. Howler screamed when he saw those giant white teeth, stained with ruby red blood, opening up to chomp the life out of him….

Howler woke up from his nightmare, his paws still trembling. What the heck was that all about? It had been a very long time since he had nightmares. Then again, maybe it had just something to do with the ocean.

Chapter twenty one

"So which way do we go?" Koru asked the next morning. The team had come to a shady tunnel overhead. But there was another route over it. Howler gasped. This was what exactly was in his dream! A memory soared through his mind of those giant jaws opening up…he knew if they swam over the tunnel they would swim right into the prehistoric whale. But if they went through the tunnel it would hide them from the monster.

"I say we go through the tunnel." Howler announced. "Are you kidding?!" Akuyo snapped back. "Its pitch black under there! I for one say we go above." "Above? No! There's something horrible…!" Howler protested. Akuyo snarled at him. "I just bet you're trying to lead us into danger again!" he yelped. "No! I had this dream…" Howler's reply was cut off by Koru. "Boys that's enough!" she yelled. "We'll just go above because it's safer. Sorry, Howler." Howler turned away, his expression clouded. "We'll all be eaten then…" he murmured to himself.

"Odd…" Neko muttered. "I wonder why there are no sea beasts here…" "And look at those bones!" Neka exclaimed in shock. All of a sudden Tiny stopped and sniffed. "Something's coming…" he warned. The beasts looked out into the distance and wheezed. "The tyrannosaurus rex of the ocean!" Koru panted.

Chapter twenty two

The prehistoric whale stiffened. It had smelled prey and lots of it. Coyote. Wolf. Fox. Two cat beasts. Megalodon.

It swam closer to the group, and this beast was huge! Koru saw its fangs sticking out of its mouth. Giant spikes were on its back. It was colored black with a glistening white belly.

"Everyone, stay quiet! The barrier should keep us invisible." Neko whispered quietly. The group stared wide eyed at the giant prehistoric whale beast. It kept sniffing. It knew it smelled prey. But where was it? He was sure it was right next to him. Maybe it was just some kind of illusion, or his mind playing tricks on him?

All of a sudden, Tiny screamed like baby. "MOMMA! DADDA!!!" he wailed. "Tiny!" Koru growled. The prehistoric whale beast let out a giant roar, (which sounded like a cross between a roar of a lion beast, a tyrannosaurus rex and cry of a whale). He crashed into the barrier. "Gah!" Neko spluttered. "He spotted us!" Tiny continued wailing. "Oh great he's in baby mode now!" Akuyo screamed in desperation. The prehistoric whale beast continued crashing into the barrier. The barrier made giant cracking sounds, as if threatening to break any moment. "You should have listened to me!" Howler yelled to Koru. "If we went through the tunnel it would have hidden us from the whale!" "What?!" Koru yelled back in surprise. "You knew about this monster?" "I…I had a dream last night…" Howler explained. "That…" "This is no time for talking!" Neko roared. "Get ready! We're going to have to fight that thing!" Neka, Howler and Akuyo turned to their beast forms, and with one last head butt, the prehistoric whale shattered the barrier in pieces.

Chapter twenty three

"Go!" Akuyo shrieked to Koru. "You need to get to the surface! We're in our beast forms so our lungs can withstand without air much more!" Koru nodded and swam up. Akuyo and the others could not speak to each other directly, so they used telepathy to communicate.

Immediately, Tiny charged toward the giant prehistoric whale beast. The whale roared at him and hit the megalodon with his giant fin. Tiny was knocked out and fell down to the bottom of the ocean. "Tiny!!" Neko roared. Akuyo howled a battle cry and all the beasts lunged toward the giant whale.

Koru swam up as fast as she could. She knew she was halfway there, but even so, the surface still felt miles away. She heard the cries and the roars of her friends as they battled the giant whale. Guilt swept through her. My friends are fighting and I'm just running away? Gah! If only I had a beast form!! But she knew if she turned back she would be no use. A lesser form wolf would never stand a chance against that monster; it would be like a mouse trying to beat up a leopard. She realized that she was getting more desperate. Her lungs screamed for air, which urged her to go faster. All of a sudden, she saw the water getting lighter. Almost there! She swam as fast as she could, but then she realized she used too much energy. And then, she blacked out.

Chapter twenty four

Was she dead? Koru opened her eyes. She tasted the air. She could breathe! She was alive! Koru also realized she was riding on something on the top of the ocean. It was a megalodon. Tiny? No. This megalodon was way bigger!

"Um, hello…?" she inquired. "You're awake!" the giant shark replied. To Koru's surprise, this megalodon was female! "Hey, everybody! The wolf's awake!" the female shark yelled. Koru spotted her friends in the distance riding a slightly bigger megalodon. "Hey you're okay!" remarked Akuyo with relief. Koru also saw Tiny leap out of the water in joy. "Friend okay!" he swam up and down looking so pleased. Akuyo leaped over to Koru. "Akuyo! Can you explain to me what happened?" Koru demanded. "How did we get here?" "Well…" Akuyo began. "The first one to attack the whale was Tiny. But the whale easily out powered him and threw him to the bottom of the ocean. I decided to dive after him while the others attacked the prehistoric whale. I grabbed him and tried to drag him up but he was too heavy for me! But then, those two appeared who are his mother and father. They helped me drag him up and then helped drive off the whale. They said they're grateful for us helping their son and that they would take us to the forest part. When we were returning to the surface, we spotted you unconscious, and helped you up to the surface."

"But the bad news is Neko is too weak to create another barrier." Akuyo continued. "So we just have to make do with what we got. Besides, the forest isn't that far now." Koru nodded, understanding. Akuyo looked ahead of them. "Hey speaking of it now, there it is! The forest!" he exclaimed ……….

To be continued in Book 2!