yay, new chappie up! The third one should be up within the next few days...in the meantime, enjoy!

Athena Pierce sighed wearily as the clock chimed three o'clock. The letter that she had written to the young archer said to be here at one-thirty…then again, her client wasn't exactly conscious of time.

The door embedded into the hollow tree trunk suddenly clattered open and in walked an outlandish figure, clad in a long back trenchcoat and black feathered hat that rested atop silvery hair. A battered bow was clutched in a gloved hand, and a large overstuffed backpack contained any necessities for life in the wilderness. A small charcoal-colored wildcat slinked around the atypical archer's ankles, nearly invisible in its owner's shadow. The stranger's visible slanted violet eye scanned the inside of the tree with apprehension, as if remembering unpleasant times. A large red scar across the peculiar visitor's right cheekbone indicated many life-threatening moments in the past. In fact, at first glance, Athena would have taken the young archer to be male, and the stranger's gender was only known due to their clothes' tailoring, as well as Athena's knowledge of her guest.

"I hope you know you were supposed to be here an hour and a half ago," Athena announced.

"Ah, Athena…long time no see," the archer called back, a bitter smirk playing around her lips. She strode toward her previous instructor with a slight, barely discernable limp in her left leg. "Well then, I hope you know that there were…shall we say…complications along the way here?"

"What kept you from reporting straight here?"

"Don't start pointing fingers at me; blame those goddamned eggs roaming about." Athena narrowed her eyes slightly at the girl's insolence, but the foul-mouthed archer continued to walk toward the desk where Athena sat, the wildcat trailing close behind.

"I have called you here about a very important matter."

"So?"

Athena scowled. This girl was so different from that sweet, determined girl that first came here, aspiring to join the bowmen in the large, lovely city of Henseys. She would have never thought that one of her best-mannered subordinates would become such an outsider from society.

The younger archer crossed her arms and leaned with her elbows on Athena's desk, raising her seen eyebrow. "I'm still pissed about being sent into exile for a crime I never even committed, you know." The cat beside her growled softly. The girl's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "I've never forgotten how enraged I was since I became an outcast. You never even bothered to catch the real culprit, now, did you?"

Athena sighed. "That's not why I summoned you here, though, is it?" The girl frowned and sat down on a nearby chair, irritated. Athena pulled out a small packet of papers, glanced at them, and put them aside. "So they call you 'Kurayami' now?" she asked.

The dark-clad archer nodded slowly. "That's right. You may call it an alias, but I almost never use my real name anymore."

"Why is that?"

Kurayami only shrugged in response, but eyed the papers with curiosity. "May I see those papers, please?" she asked. Athena, although taken aback by the sudden civility, handed her the packet, which Kurayami promptly shredded into pieces.

Athena's eyes widened. "Why on earth did you do that?" she asked shrilly.

"I want no records of my actions," Kurayami replied as she balled up the papers' remains and tossed the bundle to the cat. "I cannot afford to be tracked."

Athena regained her composure and raised an eyebrow. "What exactly happened between here and Kerning city?" she inquired warily. "Is there a reason you don't want any knowledge of your whereabouts?"

"It was nothing I couldn't handle." Kurayami leaned back in the chair and stretched.

"What happened, though?"

Kurayami paused with her arms stretched out in front of her and glanced at Athena. "I told you, I handled it just fine. But if you must know, I've already been dragged somehow into the revolt in Kerning City. I know that the world is no longer safe with traitorous rouges in our midst." She paused, staring into space, and put her arms down. "Yesterday one of my acquaintances, a young rouge, attempted to assassinate me. She was far less experienced that I was." The archer sighed sadly. "I was late today because I gave her a proper burial, in the mountains near Perion. The mountains she had never even seen, but always talked about them with a gleam in her eyes."

Athena decided not to press the matter any further. It seemed as if everyone was starting to realize the enormity of the thieves' revolt. But still, they had not reached the purpose of this meeting.

"I know somewhat how this has affected you," she told Kurayami. "But I still have a request. Grendel of Ellinia and I have been gathering our forces in preparation for the incoming war." Kurayami seemed not to be listening, but flinched at the last word. "I realize that with your knowledge of the Island's geography as well as the people, you can be a valuable asset, as well as ally, in this uprising of the rouges. In other words, we need your help."

Kurayami's violet eye widened in anger. "I think that you would've expected me to automatically refuse," she said, her voice trembling. "You know I prefer not to get involved in these things, dammit!"

Athena's stern gaze never wavered. "I would have never expected you to accept right off hand. I will give you three days to refresh yourself here in town before the official gathering of the archers, which is when you will have to make your final decision. And also remember; if you leave before then, I have ways of tracking you."

Kurayami shuddered slightly. Athena decided to try and take advantage of this weak spot.

"Tell me, Kurayami...what are your values in life?" she asked.

Kurayami's expression was unreadable. "I only let the people I trust the most know that."

"Who do you trust, then?"

Kurayami leaned back in the chair and smiled bitterly. "Let's see, the people I trust...are completely nonexistent. Even if I did trust anyone, I would never tell someone else so openly."

Athena was stumped yet again in her attempt to learn more about this archer. Kurayami was a mystery, for sure, and wasn't about to reveal any more about herself anytime soon. There would be other chances, she decided, to try and squeeze more information from her. But in the meantime, Kurayami had been through enough trauma for now.

Just then Kurayami spoke. "I know that you will do nothing against me with private information like this," she said. "But then again, you never know who might be listening in on our conversations."

"I understand. It would be natural to develop such a paranoia in your situation." Athena stood up, signaling the end of the meeting. "You may go now. Be sure to report here in three days."

"I will," Kurayami replied grudgingly, also standing up. She exited the tree with her small cat following close behind.