Chapter 2: Tangled up in a Red Scarf

No sooner had Lilac and Carol decided that they were going to find Milla's parents, the girls had come into the bedroom to see how their canine friend was feeling right now. The dog at the very most looked like she had finished crying her heart out though she was still sniffling a little and wiping her eyes dry. Milla looked surprised to see her friends coming into see how she was though being a friend of theirs, she supposed it wasn't all that surprising that they wanted to check up on her. Straight away, the innocent puppy could see the concern in her dragon friend's rosy pink eyes. A lot of the time, Lilac acted like a big sister to her. So much so that Milla considered Lilac the sister that she never had and as such, enjoyed spending time with her. How fortunate she had been that faithful day to have ever met her due to her curiosity about actually meeting a real dragon. It had been a good day that day for her and Milla was forever grateful to have met Lilac. The dragon put her hands on Milla's shoulders, seeming to observe her up and down with her eyes before speaking.

"How are you feeling Milla?" asked Lilac softly.

"I feel better…though not that much." sniffed Milla sadly, "At the most, I feel like I can't cry anymore. I've run out of tears in a way."

"Who'd have thought THAT was possible?" said Carol casually.

"Well Milla, prepare to feel happier for me and Carol have decided to make your Christmas wish come true." Lilac announce proudly.

"Really?!" squeaked Milla excitedly. Her expression had changed so quickly that one had to wonder if she had ever been crying a moment ago.

"Sure!" replied Lilac, "We're going to find your parents and reunite you with them! By Christmas Day, you'll be back with them and you won't have to spend Christmas without them!"

The orange-haired hound was so overwhelmed with joy that she grasped Lilac in a tight, affectionate hug. It was like being hugged by a younger sibling for the kind-hearted dragon, a feeling that she enjoyed. Lilac embraced Milla back, smiling sweetly at her friend's joy.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" squealed Milla, "Lilac, you're the best friend in the world!"

"Ha, ha! Thanks Milla." giggled Lilac, patting the dog softly on the back.

"But before we go looking for your 'rents Milla, we need some valuable details." noted Carol, "So tell us, what do your parents look like?"

Milla responded with the kind of answer that summed up how well she knew her parents.

"Oh that's easy. Daddy is a rather tall and lanky dog whose a few feet taller than I am." explained Milla, "He has red hair and his fur's a darker colour than mine. More grey than white. His ears are smaller than mine and he has blue eyes. Mommy is smaller than daddy by a few inches and she has very long ginger hair. Her ears are longer than mine and she has my green eyes and white fur. She also doesn't wear shoes like me too."

As she had spoken the words, Milla began to feel like it had only been yesterday since she had ever seen her parents again. She remembered them so well that it didn't sound like it had been long since she had seen them. Lilac and Carol were already picturing what the two dogs looked like in their heads. Lilac imagined the father looking very handsome and sporting the features Milla had told her about. The mother she imagined would look very beautiful and like an older version of Milla herself. Milla had been very helpful for them and yet she could be even more helpful still.

"Thank you Milla, that's very helpful for us." said Lilac, "One more thing. What are their names?"

"Miguel and Lela." replied Milla, "They combined their names together to give me my name."

"That's pretty cute." said Lilac, beaming. She could see how the two parents' names would combine together to make Milla's name too. Now she knew why Milla had been named as such.

"So we're looking for a tall, lanky dog with greyish fur, red hair, blue eyes and small ears named Miguel and a female dog with long ginger hair, long ears, green eyes, white fur and no footwear named Lela?" asked Carol, hoping she had gotten what Milla had just said to her and Lilac.

"Correct." said Milla sweetly.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go parent hunting!" cried Carol enthusiastically. "Oh wait, that doesn't sound right…" she suddenly murmured, thinking deeply about what she had just said.

"We know what you meant Carol." said Lilac, playfully nudging her friend snidely, "Well, now we know who we're looking for, let's grant Milla's Christmas wish!"

"Yay! We're gonna find my parents again!" squealed Milla gleefully.

"OK, so where's a good place to start looking?" asked Carol curiously, glancing over at Milla since she was likely the one with the answer.

"Well mommy and daddy were always very fond of shopping in Shang Mu." suggested Milla, "We could start there."

"Maybe Mayor Zao could give us a few pointers." mused Lilac thoughtfully, "OK, we start in Shang Mu. It'll be quite funny if we run into them and they're Christmas shopping in one of his superstores."

"Let's hope it's as easy as that." replied Carol, "Though something tells me it won't be…"

"We may well be searching all over Avalice before we finally find them. But if we find them at last, it'll make Milla's Christmas one to remember." said Lilac, "Well let's get going girls. We've got two dogs to find!"

Carol and Milla needed no further prompting. They along with Lilac ran out of the room to get their thick winter coats and get all wrapped up for their trip to Shang Mu. As they prepared to go, a tiny doubt began to nag in the back of Lilac's head. A small voice telling her that this task was impossible and they didn't have a chance of finding Miguel and Lela. Especially with three days left before Christmas Day. But Lilac ignored the voice in her head. She was going through with her idea. She was going to make Milla happy for Christmas and no matter what happened, she was going to succeed. Miguel and Lela would see their daughter again if it was the last thing Lilac ever did…


Meanwhile, the Red Scarves were getting ready to mobilize and begin their sinister raid. Much time had passed after the girls had set off to find Milla's parents and darkness was beginning to fall. The trip to Shang Mu was a long trip. Natalya had ordered the entire group to gather up whatever weapons that they deemed necessary to use for the raid while she went outside to check the time and see if it was the right moment to begin the raid. The scarves were all buzzing with excitement as they waited for their leader to return. It had been a long time since they had been active so they were all too keen to get back into the action for the first time in a long time. And with something so ambitious too! They'd soon not only raid all three kingdoms, but they would rule over them all too. Natalya was still deciding on who would replace which ruler when they carried out their sinister task thought the scarves had a feeling she would likely nab Shuigang for herself.

There were three scarves who seemed a little unsure about the raid though. Spade himself was still bitter over the fact Natalya had cruelly given him the task of killing Dail on Christmas Eve and as he waited for the Lead Scarf's return, he was dead silent with his arms folded and a stoic expression on his young but serious face. The other two were members of the scarves who had been part of the group before the events of Lord Brevon's unfortunate crash-landing onto the planet but they hadn't been with the group for as long as Spade had. They hadn't even been part of the group when Lilac and Carol were members of the scarves. They had been members between that period of time. They were a couple, married in fact and they were both hounds. The male dog was tall and lanky with red hair, shorter ears than the average hound and blue eyes. The woman looked very much like an older Milla right down to the ginger hair, green eyes and long ears. Unlike Milla, the woman was wearing shoes. Natalya had demanded it since it would make her less conspicuous. Both hounds were dressed in ninja attire, their bodies clad entirely in black and their faces concealed by a mask that had a slit for the eyes and nothing more. That was the only thing visible on them that indicated there was in fact a body underneath the black outfit. Even their ears had been concealed under the mask, though it made them feel slightly uncomfortable. They constantly felt like something was squashed against their heads and it irritated the two hounds a little. For members of the Red Scarves, the two black-clad dogs seemed extremely uncomfortable with what they were waiting for. One would get the impression that they didn't want to be here but they were here because they had no choice. Not all of the Red Scarves were members of the group by choice. Some had been forced to join the group, most of them because of Natalya threatening their lives if they dared to refuse. The two hounds were two of those unfortunate members. The male dog seemed to find it hard to stay still whereas the female dog kept looking nervously left and right as if expecting something to pounce out of the shadows and attack her. They didn't want to be part of this raid. They wanted to be somewhere much more pleasant. But they had no choice. It was this or death and if they chose death, they would never get a chance to return to their previous lives. As such, they remained on the team, waiting for an opportunity to present itself to them. But it seemed that wouldn't be happening for a long time.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Red Scarves heard the one sound that they had been dying to hear all evening. The sound of footsteps, signalling the return of their leader. Some scarves were delighted to hear that their leader was coming back, some fell silent and held their breath. Natalya was one of those people who was feared AND loved by her disciples at the same time, and that was just what she liked about the scarves. The Red Scarves fixed all eyes on the entrance to their hideout as the grand doors opened and in strolled their powerful, menacing leader. There was something about the way Natalya walked into a room that somehow set the tone for the Red Scarves no matter what mission they were on. They could be in the middle of a wild party and Natalya would still somehow make it suddenly turn dark and menacing. The long-coat and the helmet that the sinister criminal wore also sent uncanny feelings through the ones that were afraid of her. She somehow didn't look quite normal wearing them. Natalya seemed like somebody from another world, not helped by the fact nobody knew what she looked like under the helmet. Why did she always have it on? Did she just not want people to know what she really looked like? Was she unable to remove the helmet entirely? Was the helmet a disguise or some form of life support? Natayla wouldn't say what it was for exactly though Spade was sure it was because she had something to hide. He often wondered what the head that Natalya's trademark, scaly ponytail was attached to looked like underneath. He wondered if she was reptilian or some kind of alien with scaly skin. Natalya stood before the group, her hands behind her back and her posture rigid and authoritative with a straight back and her head up high. She radiated power, even in a stance like this. The scarves held their breath.

"Good evening Red Scarves." announced Natalya loudly, her voice not quite a shout but still the level of volume that showed everybody she was the one in charge.

"Good evening Natalya." replied the entire group in unison.

"The sun has set and the moon is beginning to rise." Natalya reported, "The time is right. Now is the time to begin the raid. Starting...with Shang Mu!"

The Red Scarves all cheered although Natalya knew well enough that not every member in the room was actually cheering for real. There was something paranormal about her in how she was able to spot a faker no matter how convincing their act was. Already she noticed how Spade and the two hounds were feigning delight over her announcement but she was used to it. The helmeted woman continued.

"I will oversee operations tonight and make sure you ALL accomplish your tasks. You will raid the Palace of Shang Mu clean of all riches and Mayor Zao will be dead." Natalya boomed menacingly, "If he's not in the palace then assassinate him in the streets if you have to. He is not to walk away alive at the end of the night."

The scarves all nodded agreeably. Then Spade raised his hand curiously.

"So who's going to kill the mayor?" he asked grimly.

"Miguel and Lela will have the honour of taking out Mayor Zao." announced Natalya.

The two hounds in the crow looked shocked.

"Mistress, please, we can't possibly kill anybody!" begged the male hound, Miguel, desperately.

"We may have been forced to join you but we won't cross the line and take a life!" declared Lela, "Please recruit somebody else!"

"Come here you two." snarled Natalya, holding her hand out and curling her index finger inwards and out again.

Miguel and Lela gulped nervously. If Natalya ordered you to come forward, it was never for a good reason. The canine couple reluctantly heaved their unwilling bones towards Natalya. The Red Scarves suddenly turned nervous. What was their fearsome leader going to do to them? Natalya had a horrible habit of punishing those who dared to question her. They could already imagine the scene suddenly turning very violent very fast. Miguel and Lela stood before Natalya, feeling incredibly small by the towering figure that commanded them. Lela was barely big enough to pass over Natalya's chest. Miguel was almost as tall as Natalya yet he felt a few feet smaller when face to face with her. The sinister woman glared at them through the ominous, singular lens of her helmet that obscured her face but was clear enough for her to see out of.

"Remember what I told you when I kidnapped you two?" growled Natalya, her voice showing a rare shred of emotion, "You rob when I tell you to rob! You kidnap when I tell you to kidnap and you kill when I tell you to kill! You do not question my orders and you carry them out as ordered! DO YOU COMPREHEND?!"

The bellow sounded astonishing coming out of Natalya's throat. The woman hardly ever shouted and when she did shout, it was enough to make a dinosaur run away in fear. Miguel and Lela shrunk down but kept their eyes fixed on Natalya.

"Y-y-yes...N-N-Natalya..." whimpered Miguel.

"Good!" snapped Natalya.

She then proceeded to spin around on the balls of her feet and tackle Miguel down to the floor with a vicious sweep-kick that scythed straight through the air and straight into his solar plexus. Lela screamed for her husband but she soon ended up on the floor with him as Natalya kicked her down, striking her in the small of her back with the heel of her boot. Both Miguel and Lela coughed and spluttered, wincing in pain and trying to fight it off. The Red Scarves all cringed as if feeling their pain. Natalya wasn't even hitting them at her hardest. She had only used half of her strength. Miguel and Lela both knew that if Natalya had kicked them any harder, she could have broken something. But they knew that their leader didn't want crippled minions to carry out the raid with. Natalya glared down at her floored disciples.

"On your feet!" she barked.

Miguel and Lela picked themselves up slowly, fighting off the pain in their bodies from the kicks they had received. They staggered back into the crowd and Natalya continued on as if nothing had happened.

"Miguel and Lela will kill Mayor Zao with what ever weapon they deem necessary." she announced, "No worries about being spotted by him, he is of no threat. And he won't have any guards to back him up...I will take care of them and so will my right hand man, Spade the Panda." she added, glancing over at the red-neckerchief wearing panda.

Spade showed no emotion as the Red Scarves clapped for him, clearly delighted at the fact he of all people was going to be Natalya's right hand man for the raid. He didn't seem awfully delighted himself to be given such a job. Natalya continued.

"Once the guards are taken out, Miguel and Lela will have a clear shot at him in the palace. Of course, if he's in the street, we won't have to worry about guards. We can kill him straight away and spread panic throughout the city."

Every word she spoke and the very tone she spoke with was matter-of-fact as if she somehow knew everything about her targets. She could have just read an entire book about the history of Avalice and all its features.

"So my scarves, prepare to commence with our newest scheme!" cried Natalya, somehow sounding enthusiastic despite her usual deadpan tones, "Tonight, the Christmas Raid begins!"

The cheering that followed this speech went on for many minutes. Once it had died down, Natalya turned on her heels and strolled out of the room, her coat billowing out behind her. The Red Scarves followed her eagerly although two of them lagged all the way to the back. Miguel and Lela were more nervous than ever now the raid was beginning. Lela put an arm around her husband fearfully.

"Oh Miguel...I'll never live with myself after this!" she wailed, "I'll never live down the fact that I've killed somebody!"

"Neither will I my love..." murmured Miguel bitterly, "Our daughter would be so shocked if she saw what we were about to do now...I hope Milla will never find us."

"Our poor baby...she won't be able to live with the fact we've become killers!" sobbed Lela.

"Hence why I hope she doesn't ever find us." said Miguel sadly, "Wherever she is...I hope she's doing fine and has met some good people".

Lela nodded. They hadn't seen their beloved daughter since the day Natalya had kidnapped them and forced them to join the Red Scarves. Now they were about to murder an entirely innocent person, they didn't want Milla to see them again. Better she never found out what had become of them. Her innocence would die forever and she would no longer be the same person if she ever found out...


"You know some days...brr, it sucks to be cold-blooded." moaned Lilac as she tried to gather as much warmth as possible in her body. She was wearing a thick winter coat and waterproof trousers but she still felt cold so she was hugging herself to try and keep the heat in her.

"Yeah, being a dragon kinda means you get cold very easily." murmured Carol sympathetically, "Kinda feel bad how me and Milla are lucky enough to have fur and you just got scales and skin. Not much to keep warm with."

"Will you be OK Lilac? Or are you gonna catch a cold?" asked Milla worriedly.

"I'm sure the coat will keep me warm enough to avoid that." shivered Lilac, "Next time, I'll try more than two layers."

Both dog and cat agreed that the dragon had the right idea. A vest-top and a thick coat weren't enough, she would probably need a warm sweater on over her vest-top. The girls had finally arrived on the outskirts of Shang Mu and were about to enter the grandiose city. Even in winter, Shang Mu still managed to display its majestic, red colours in all of its buildings and architecture. The city itself was teeming with life, most of the populace roaming around the streets and shopping in the local stores to buy their yearly Christmas presents for their loved ones to open up on Christmas Day. There was a parade going on with marching Avalicians in soldier outfits and some music being played by the orchestra in the parade. Music blared from speakers in the shops and the girls could see that there was a store that was selling music albums all containing Christmas songs. One of the CDs was being tested and the cold was forgotten about as Lilac, Carol and Milla nodded their heads in time to the song that was playing. The music was catchy and the lyrics were unforgettable. The girls remembered hearing it last Christmas and now familiar lyrics were being heard once again as they enjoyed the music.

Snow is falling...all around me.

Children playing, having fun.

It's the season, of love and understaaaanding.

Merry Christmas! Everyone!

"Man, I love that song!" cried Lilac excitedly.

"Maybe we could buy one of those albums so we can listen to it back in the Treehouse." suggested Carol with a wink.

"Yeah, but we need a radio first." noted Lilac, "Mind you, my TV could easily play it. DVD players can play music CDs too."

"Do we have any money?" asked Milla curiously.

"Not at the moment but maybe after we find your parents, we could try and get some." suggested Lilac, "Now then, where in Shang Mu would two hounds be likely to hang out in?"

"Maaaaaybe the pet store?" snickered Carol teasingly.

The cat's response was a glare from the dragon. She didn't like it when Carol made jokes like that, especially in front of Milla.

"What?" asked Carol defensively, "Maybe they have a pet?"

"No Carol, neither me or my parents have a pet." corrected Milla, "They won't be in a pet store."

"What shops did they like Milla?" asked Lilac, hoping to get some ideas on where to start.

"They were quite fond of shopping in Mayor Zao's Super-Super Store." the dog replied, "It's the biggest store in the city, I think."

"Maybe we could start there." suggested Lilac, "They might be there Christmas shopping for each other. Though why they've left you Milla is anyone's guess."

"If it turns out they abandoned her then I AM gonna be mad!" growled Carol viciously. She wasn't sure why the thought had crossed her mind but she had to admit, it wasn't a bad theory. Milla however was quick to defend her parents.

"Oh no Carol, they'd never abandon me!" protested Milla, "They won't have left me for that reason! It could be I just lost them and they're still trying to find me!"

"Maybe so, which is why we have to find them." declared Lilac, "Come on girls, let's get searching in Zao's Super-Super Store. It's somewhere to start at least."

The trio set off to find Zao's Super-Super Store to begin their search for Milla's parents. But just as they were preparing to go, somebody called over to them. At first the girls hadn't heard anything but as they began to walk past the Christmas parade that was being hosted in the city square, somebody called to them again. This time, their attention had been caught. The parade had stopped and somebody was running up towards Lilac, Carol and Milla. It was none other than the narcissistic but otherwise honourable ruler of Shang Mu himself, Mayor Zao. He was a short and stubby red panda with a brilliant, opulent, red and gold uniform and a large hat that made him look somewhat comical rather than majestic. In spite of his diminutive size, he had a surprisingly large ego. The girls knew this very well from when they had met and even dined with Mayor Zao during the month Lord Brevon had threatened Avalice's peace and serenity. Not surprisingly, Zao seemed rather excited to see that his kingdom was being graced with the presences of the ones that had saved Avalice all those months ago.

"Hey Mayor Zao!" greeted Lilac enthusiastically.

"My friends! It is so good to see you in the middle of my magnificent Christmas parade!" the egomaniacal red panda replied, equally as enthusiastic, "I'm bursting with joy at the sight of you three!"

5+ JOY

"Huh, that 5+ thing still happens to him. How does he do that anyway?" mused Carol thoughtfully.

"We're very happy to see you too Mr. Mayor." said Milla sweetly, bowing down to the mayor respectfully.

"So what are the Heroes of Avalice doing in my magnificent metropolis?" asked Zao curiously, "It must be a special occasion if you chose to come to MY city of all places."

"Ah, that ego of yours is still as overbearing as ever." chuckled Lilac, "Ahem, we're here because Milla wants to see her parents again. We're looking to see if they're around here at all."

"You seen a guy dog and a girl dog that look like Milla around at all?" asked Carol, hoping to receive the answer she wanted.

The wealthily dressed mayor fell silent for a moment as he thought about this question. He took a look at Milla before delivering his answer.

"I've seen MANY dogs wander around my city. Many dogs even LIVE in my city." he replied, "But I can't say I've seen any that look like they're related to Milla here. But then again, my memory's not perfect as far as people are concerned. Describe her parents to me."

"Go ahead Milla." the dragon urged, "Maybe Zao will remember if he's seen them or not."

Milla stood forward and spoke.

"My daddy's tall, grey-furred, red-haired, has short ears and blue eyes. Mommy is white-furred, shorter than daddy, has my eye and hair colour and doesn't wear footwear." she replied, not once pausing to think as if she had rehearsed the entire explanation by heart.

The mayor thought about the descriptions he'd been given for a moment. They sounded a little familiar to him. Then he snapped his fingers.

"Why yes! I believe I've seen those two before!" cried Mayor Zao, "Were their names Miguel and Lela by any chance?"

"Yes." answered Milla.

"I remember running into them before during one of their shopping rounds." Zao thought aloud, "Yeah, they were very nice people. Sadly, I haven't heard of them or seen them around since then. Maybe their shopping trip here was a one time only thing." he murmured, sounding a little disappointed.

5+ DISAPPOINTMENT

"But mommy and daddy LOVED shopping in Shang Mu!" declared Milla, "They never went only once! They used to go regularly!"

"Then I guess they were just lucky enough to have met me that one day." murmured Zao grimly.

"Do you have any idea what happened to them?" asked Lilac hopefully.

"Why no indeed." said Zao, sounding a little sad that he couldn't be very helpful to his fellow friends, "I saw them once and then...that's it. Never saw them again."

"Well that stinks." said a rather annoyed Carol the Wildcat, "How will we find Milla's parents now?"

"I could ask my entire city to search for them." suggested Zao helpfully, "It'll be like putting up Wanted posters all over, only they're not wanted for breaking any laws. I can see the posters now. "Mayor wants to help poor pup find her parents! Please help your glorious mayor in the search to repair a poor little doggy's broken heart! Anyone who finds them will receive shopping coupons for a year! All with 5% off of selected brands"!"

Lilac could only giggle as the Mayor entered another one of his usual hammy stages of self-worshipping and glory. As over-bearing as his ego could be, Mayor Zao was truly larger than life and a tonne of fun to watch whenever he was around.

"I'm sure that'll get people to look." snickered Carol, her tone suggesting she was more joking than actually meaning what she said.

"Mark my words my friends, little Milla will get her parents back, even if I have to cancel Christmas in Shang Mu to achieve it!" declared Zao, forgetting he was in a city square with people around so he had a lot of people who would have heard him and probably took what he said too literally.

"I don't think that's necessary." said Lilac hastily, "We're just glad you're offering..."

The dragon's words suddenly died away in her throat and she fell into silence. Something had caught her attention. But what was it? Why did she suddenly feel like somebody was watching them? Lilac could never explain it, but as a dragon, she had a kind of instinct that usually told her when danger was near. Sometimes it had been wrong, but Lilac was sure that something wasn't right. The purple Avalician looked up at a nearby building. And yes, she had seen something up there! It was the moonlight glinting off of a polished, steel surface! Lilac could see the thing rising up as if ready to strike. Lilac's blood ran colder than the snow around her. It was an assassin! And it had some kind of weapon! Lilac quickly measured distances and worked out that the thing was aiming at Zao's head. Was the assassin preparing to throw his weapon at him? Lilac came to a quick conclusion: somebody was here to kill Mayor Zao. The dragon was not going to let him die now, not before he could celebrate another Christmas.

"GET DOWN!" screamed Lilac, throwing herself into the Mayor like a rugby player tackling an opponent.

Just as she knocked Zao down onto the snow, a huge shuriken whizzed through the air and slashed through the air that Mayor Zao's head had just seconds ago been in. The shuriken buried itself into a mound of snow nearby. Carol and Milla jumped back in alarm, gasping at what had just happened. The nearby crowd had seen the shuriken miss Mayor Zao and they all began to panic, fearing for their own safety more than anybody else's. Lilac picked herself up and caught sight of the assassin. The assassin seemed to retreat upon realizing he had just been spotted. But as he fled, Lilac swore that she had seen the familiar sign of a red scarf on the assassin. Could it be...?

"What happened?!" shrieked Zao wildly.

"I think somebody wants you dead." muttered Lilac, "Had it not been for me, you would have had a shuriken embedded in your skull."

She picked up the wicked weapon and showed it to the panda. The shuriken was the size of her hand and had four flint-sharp points. The star would have embedded itself deep into Zao's head had the dragon not caused it to miss its target.

"EEKS! I'M UNDER ATTACK!" hollered Zao frantically, "Panic everybody! Your mayor's being targeted tonight!"

5+ PANIC

"So who's targeting Mayor Egotist then?" asked Carol, her face serious and mission-like.

"I think the assassin was wearing a red scarf." murmured Lilac bitterly, "I bet the Red Scarves are behind this."

"Well they're the only ones with shurikens who actually try to kill people with them." sniffed Carol, "Come on Little Miss Heropants! Let's get him!"

"Wait, I smell something strange!" cried Milla hastily, her sensitive nose twitching curiously, "I can smell…people coming towards us. And the smell's a bit like that star-thingy that nearly took Zao's head off."

Lilac and Carol were both standing back to back and bending down in battle-ready stances the moment Milla told them this. This could only mean one thing. Whoever had tried to kill Mayor Zao had just run crying to his or hear team-mates and now they were coming to finish the job that they had started. Lilac and Carol were right to brace themselves for seconds later, the Red Scarves burst onto the scene with their weapons brandished and ready to attack. They looked totally monstrous in their ninja outfits and brandishing whatever evil weapons they had in their hands. Mayor Zao leaped about a foot into the air with shock. His hat leapt even higher off of his head, somersaulted and then landed back down on his head. Lilac quickly stood defensively in front of him. The sight of the Red Scarves made her feel sick to her stomach and she was looking forward to connecting their faces with the ground. She had her eyes fixed on one person in particular, the loathsome panda Spade. During their fight with Brevon, she and Carol had run into Spade and both had gotten into fights with him, both ending with the girls victorious. Spade looked keen for a rematch with the two Red Scarf traitors. Lilac's face contorted with loathing as she stared him down.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Red Scarves." snarled Lilac, "Come to spoil Christmas for us Avalicians before it can arrive! When will you guys just leave people alone for once?!"

"Try telling that to somebody who cares." sniffed Spade, "Anyway, step aside and hand over the mayor."

"Give me a good reason why I should!" snapped Lilac.

"Our task is to kill him and if you don't stand aside, we will be forced to kill you as well!" growled Spade, "And believe me, I won't hesitate to send a traitor like you to the graveyard!"

"Geez, when's he EVER gonna get over that fact?" sighed Carol in annoyance, "We betrayed the scarves, big deal. I'm surprised we're the only ones so far."

"I'm NOT handing over the mayor!" declared Lilac, "You'll have to get through ME first!"

"Gladly…" snarled Spade, drawing out a deck of cards and brandishing five of them between his fingers.

"Zao, get out of the city and warn the Magister and King Dail that the scarves are back." ordered Lilac, "They need to know about this. Me and my friends will take care of these scumbags while you do so."

"Y-y-you d-d-don't h-h-have t-t-tell me t-twice!" yelped Mayor Zao.

He ran off quickly to carry out his task. The Red Scarves watched their prey flee for his life and they were about to chase after him. But before any of the ninjas could move, Milla sprang into action. She summoned a huge, green energy shield and threw it straight at Spade and any scarves beside him. The shield bowled them all over like skittles in a bowling alley and sent them flying all over the place. The Red Scarves all crashed down together in a heap, earning squeals of applause from the nervously watching crowd nearby. They had seen somebody attempt to kill their mayor and said killers had just made themselves known to the Heroes of Avalice. Seeing the trio now fighting against the insidious scarves was enough to make them whoop with joy. Milla was so delighted to hear the cheering crowd that she began to bow politely to them. Lilac chuckled at this. Only Milla could ever be in the middle of a fight and still have room to do something cute.

But Milla would have to get her head out of the clouds for the scarves were back up on their feet and ready to fight. Four ninjas charged towards Lilac and Carol, all armed with spears and holding them with their sharp points aimed directly at them. If they hit their targets, the dragon and cat would be skewered like kebabs. Lilac was ready for them. She leapt up into the air, somersaulting straight over two of the ninjas and landing behind them. She then twirled around on the tips of her toes, swinging her trademark tendrils around like whips at her foes. The tendrils walloped the ninjas in the faces and knocked them both down onto their sides. They leapt back up onto their feet and slashed at Lilac with the spears. The dragon dodged but despite evading the attack, she could sense all the hate and rage put into the attempt slash. She was a traitor, and worse, a traitor to THEM. They wanted her dead for her treachery and would do what they could to put her down. Lilac struck back with a punch to the throat on one of the ninjas. The ninja's eyes opened wide and he crumpled onto the floor, completely passed out. The other ninja stabbed at Lilac but the tough dragon struck back with a kick to the gut that caused him to drop his spear. Then Lilac spun around and let him have it with her trademark and signature move, the Dragon Cyclone. The ninja was whisked off his feet and sent flying by the dragon's tough , whippy tendrils. He crashed down on his back, laying in a heap in a pile of snow. Lilac smiled smugly at the ninjas.

"Now you know what happens when you mess with a dragon!" she crowed.

The other two ninjas were attacking Carol and they both lunged at her with their spears. The wildcat was not an easy opponent to land a hit on though. She was tough as nails and she showed just exactly how tough she was. She raised one of her legs and sprang towards one of the ninjas. She was moving her leg up and down rapidly and as she neared the solider, she walloped him as callously as possible. The ninja was taken out instantly, thrown down hard onto the snow covered ground. The other ninja swung his spear at Carol like a club, hoping to hit her on the head and take her out. If he had managed to hit the cat's head, she would be knocked out instantly. But Carol's good hearing saved her. She ducked, leaving her opponent to sweep the spear through empty air and she retaliated with an uppercut to the chin. The punch was so hard that the ninja swore his head was going to come off. It stayed on luckily for him. The ninja staggered backwards but Carol finished him off with a roundhouse kick that brought him down hard onto his back, his head hitting an exposed bit of ground underneath the snow. The ninja was knocked out instantly.

"Oh yeah! Score one for the wildcat!" cheered Carol delightedly. A fun day for her was being able to fight and beat up the Red Scarves and she was having a good time right now.

The furious Spade could see that the Red Scarves weren't going to win this battle. Milla had knocked down most of the group already and four ninjas hadn't been enough to take down Lilac or Carol. He instantly grew concerned for his well-being. Would Natalya execute him if he and the scarves lost now? Speaking of which, where was she right now? Why wasn't she giving them a helping hand? Then Spade remembered. Natalya was a woman who only came out to fight if she felt like she was needed. She was obviously waiting to see if she was needed yet. Or she might have gone after Mayor Zao. The latter was the likeliest since he had gotten away. Spade decided to take matters into his own hands. The death dealer whipped out five cards, all positioned between his fingers, and he swiped the air with his arm, throwing the cards straight towards the trio. Despite looking like harmless playing cards, they were anything but. They were lethal weapons and Spade had claimed many lives with them. The cards swept through the air and homed in on their prey. Milla saw them and quickly reacted. She summoned a shield and blocked the attack, the cards smashing to pieces against the hard, energy field she had created. Lilac and Carol leapt over the shield and they charged towards Spade, both faces full of contempt. Spade threw some more cards at the dragon and cat but the two girls already anticipated his move. Spade was a predictable opponent, always resorting to using his playing cards when in a fight.

The panda watched as his attack missed and he boosted towards Lilac and Carol. He charged straight into the two and whisked them off their feet. He then drew some more cards and sliced at Lilac's face. He left a long, thin cut across the dragon's face just across the eyes with the razor sharp edge of the card. The cut stung furiously and made the purple Avalician wince in pain. But Lilac didn't let that bring her down though. She jumped up onto her feet and whipped Spade with her tendrils. The force she hit Spade with was incredible. Her tendrils felt more like a slap across the face from a strong hand to the Red Scarf member. Spade flew backwards, straight towards Carol. Carol drew her leg backwards, enjoying the moment building up to the attack she was about to launch at her rival. She then thrust her leg forward and her booted foot connected squarely in the centre of Spade's back. Pain flared up the panda's spine as he was thrown face first into the snow by the kick.

But Spade wasn't down for long. He sprang up onto his feet and spun around on his tip-toes, throwing cards in every direction towards the girls. Milla yelped in fright and quickly blocked them with a shield. Carol and Lilac defended themselves with the cat weaving around every card launched at her and the dragon whipping them away with her tendrils. Then both Red Scarf turncoats charged towards their nemesis. Spade stopped spinning just in time to find himself struck in the chest and back by a kick from both Lilac and Carol. Before Spade had any time to register any pain in his body, Lilac used her Dragon Cyclone attack and whipped him towards Milla. She watched with pleasure as her attack threw the murderous panda through the air. It seemed to have hurt Spade very much for she could actually see the pain on his face. That was good news. Milla summoned a shield and waited for Spade to crash into it. The panda crashed straight into the shield like a car in a crash test room. Milla then thrust her arms forward, the force-field thrusting forwards and sending Spade flying away from her and crashing down at the feet of Lilac the Dragon Girl. Spade's face was buried entirely in snow when he finally came to a stop. Satisfied with their fight and triumphant about their victory, Lilac reached down and seized Spade by his neckerchief. She hauled him up onto his feet and drew her arm backwards, ready to punch him directly in the face.

"OK Spade, you got three seconds to tell me why you're targeting Mayor Zao or my fist connects with your nose!" snarled Lilac, "Counting down…now!"

"What the scarves are doing is none of your business traitor!" snapped Spade, "But know this, it has nothing to do with you! So you're making a mistake getting involved in our affairs!"

"The only mistake around here is what YOU'VE made!" retorted Lilac, "Now answer the question or your nose gets broken!"

Then suddenly, something jumped down from seemingly nowhere and landed down on the ground, sending snow flying all around from the impact. Lilac's head snapped around to see who it was that had landed on the ground. Her face went pale as she saw who it was. Spade turned his head to see what Lilac was looking at and he ended up being introduced to a new experience. For the first time in his life, he was pleased to see his wicked leader. Natalya had finally decided to show up after remaining in hiding for a good portion of the raid. She had been helping some Red Scarves raid the palace clean of all riches while Spade and his team had been trying to assassinate Mayor Zao. Now she'd finished, she had arrived to see that her second in command needed help so the Lead Scarf had entered the battlefield. Natalya's helmet concealed her face but Lilac had the feeling that the sinister woman was staring her down, cold and emotionless and about ready to punish her. Natalya stood up straight and marched towards her former comrade. Spade smirked at Lilac, the dragon's eyes still firmly fixed on the approaching Lead Scarf.

"Well, looks like the tables just turned in our favour." sneered Spade.

"Oh no…not her! Anyone but her!" whimpered Lilac, letting Spade go and trembling with fear.

Natalya stared down Lilac and then slowly began to walk towards her, every step she took spelling death for the heroine as she came closer and closer to her…


Well this can't be good...Natalya's here and Lilac seems terrified of her. What will happen next? Find out next time in Chapter 3...where the fur REALLY flies...