As for the past two chapters, I don't own Gargoyles. OC's are mine. I would like to know what you think of Liz so far. R&R!

YYW: Okay, Liz's in the bathroom for the moment. I can talk freely without fear of being chased around by an angry teenager with a hunting knife.

Puck: *Appears in the room* But you can't get away from me, sweetie!

YYW: ^.^ Glad you could make it.

Puck: Wouldn't miss this for anything. Let's do this before she comes back. We have some time.

YYW: Really?

Puck: I locked her in the bathroom. If you listen, you can hear her beating on the door. *Snickers*

YYW: *Listens. Hears faint yelling and pounding* You know you're never going to hear the end of it when she gets out.

Puck: Read on, mortals!


Liz visited with Tom and Katherine briefly before making her way over to Oberon's castle. She went to the stables. Immediately, a horse snorted, knowing who it was that entered. Liz came around to the stall of a large black stallion.

"Hey, Umbra," Liz whispered. The horse whinnied in delight at seeing his favorite visitor. "Shh! You'll get me in trouble. I'm not supposed to be here."

Umbra gave the stall a good kick. Liz understood what he wanted. She produced a small cube of sugar from her pocket. Umbra took it from her and ate it. Liz patted him on the nose.

Umbra was Oberon's mount. He was reliable as he was swift. He could run as faster than the wind, or so Grandmother told Liz.

There was another whinny from across the stable.

"I didn't forget about you, Lumen," Liz said, giving Umbra one final pat.

Lumen was a white mare with a wonderful disposition. She would happily give anyone a ride who asked for it. She was Titania's mount. Liz remembered one time when everyone was asleep in Oberon's castle she snuck out and rode Lumen.

Liz gave a sugar cube to Lumen as well and patted her.

"So what's new?" Liz asked the horses. Not too long ago, Liz learned she could speak to animals. She wondered how she could, when she could barely do anything else. She contributed it to being able to speak to Claw. Though Claw could not speak and signed with his hands, Liz had little difficulty understanding him.

"Nothing much," answered Lumen. "Umbra's becoming restless."

"I haven't been out to run in a long time," Umbra said. "I wish there would be a hunt soon so I could."

"A hunt?" Liz asked. "What's that?"

"You are a mortal," said Lumen. "You wouldn't know about our ways. I will tell you. Hunts are very rare, but they are grand events. Lord Oberon and Queen Titania ride about, chasing their quarry, usually another Fey."

"No humans?" Liz asked.

"No humans," said Umbra. "Humans are off-limits and half-breeds are little fun. I can easily catch them."

"So what happens when the prey is caught?" Liz asked.

"It all depends on who is doing the catching," Umbra said. "Sometimes nothing, other times there could be a reward if the prey put up a good fight and punishment for those who preformed poorly."

Liz shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing one."

Umbra pawed the ground. "I would relish a good chase. Whoever is chosen as the prey for the next hunt better be fast."

Someone was coming. Liz whipped around and dashed up the ladder into the loft, hiding in a pile of hay. It was Raven. Liz groaned inwardly at the sight of him. She didn't feel like playing with Raven.

Raven scanned the stable with his red eyes, a bit of a scowl on his face. He heard someone in here besides the horses. Coyote was back so that meant Liz was as well. She could have been in here somewhere, ducking the other Children.

Raven turned and left. Liz did not move from her hiding place. She knew Raven's games, having been a victim before. As soon as she thought him gone, she would come out of hiding and he would be right there to catch her. Not this time. Liz had a good intuition about when things were safe.

Minutes passed before Liz dared to speak to Umbra and Lumen. She gave a quick snort and waited.

"He's gone," said Lumen.

Liz came down from the loft, shaking her hair free of hay. "Thanks. I really don't feel like putting up with him right now."

"I did not know you were so light-footed, Liz" commented Lumen.

Liz turned to the mare quizzically. "You think?" she asked. "I thought everyone was just as fast as I was. I mean, you had to be if you were going to survive."

Umbra snorted. "Liz, how far are you with your schooling?"

"Define 'far'." Liz let out a nervous giggle as she said this. They did not know how much of a failure she was at the basics.

"Can you levitate?" asked Lumen.

Liz shook her head. "I can a little, but it's poor."

"Can you become invisible?" asked Umbra.

Liz shook her head again. "No, sorry."

Umbra snorted loudly. "Even for a half-breed you're pathetic!"

"Umbra!" Lumen scolded. "Be kind to the girl. She's just learning. Besides, she can already hold a conversation with us with ease while some of the other Children cannot." Lumen turned to Liz. "What else can you do?"

"Not much," said Liz. "To humans, I'm amazing. I can run, jump, and climb better than most ever hope to be. To Fey, I'm just a mortal. What I've been able to do was only by chance."

Lumen gave a sigh. "Has Coyote taught you to weave spells yet?" she asked.

"I haven't been able to get the basics," said Liz. "We haven't touched spell casting yet."

"Then allow me to give you a little help," said Lumen. "When casting spells, it's not about just getting the words to rhyme, it's about what you feel."

"What I feel?" Liz sat down on an overturned bucket. "What do you mean? I've been concentrating like mad on what Coyote wants me to do. I can't even get concentrating right."

"Ah," said Umbra. "There's your problem right there. You think with your head too much. A pureblood Fey wouldn't know that. It comes naturally to them. You have to be able to feel the magic in your blood, need tell it what it needs to do, not tell your head."

"Ah! That explains why I could get more advanced skills down and easily pulled off a transformation," said Liz. "I wasn't thinking about it, I just did it."

"Try something small," said Lumen. She looked around. "The bucket you're sitting on; try to fill it from the well without touching it with your hands."

Liz stood up and looked at where she had to take the bucket. "Worth a shot. I mean, I'm already pathetic. Let's add insult to injury."

Feel it, don't think. Tell the magic what it needs to do, not your head.

Liz reached for her magic, taking some and pushing it through her body. Her eyes felt hot and her skin tingled. Staring at the bucket, she said very quietly, "Up!"

The bucket floated into the air. Liz told it to move to the well and it did. It hooked itself onto the rope and lowered into the well. Now came the harder part. Liz needed to divide her concentration between the bucket and the rope to the well. The bucket came up and went back into the stable. It was a little more difficult now that the bucket was full.

"Where do you want it?" Liz asked the horses.

"Pour the water into my trough," said Umbra. "I am a bit thirsty."

Liz carefully poured the water into Umbra's trough.

"Do it again," said Lumen. "This time give me the water."

Liz nodded and repeated the procedure, this time a little faster. The water was poured into Lumen's trough. The bucket then went back to its place, resting upside down for Liz to sit on.

"I got it," Liz giggled.

"Good girl," said Lumen.

Umbra gave a pleased snort. "Remember, it is the same no matter what the spell."

"I will," said Liz.

"Liz!" Coyote called. "Are you here?"

Liz hurried out of the stables. "Here I am," she said loudly.

Coyote smiled. "I have a surprise for you, Liz," he said with a grin. "But I need to show you it at the castle."

"Okay," Liz agreed. She had a surprise for him as well, but hers could wait.


YYW: And that's the end of that chapter.

Puck: You're going to end it like this?

YYW: Yes. Why? You don't like it?

Puck: It's your story. End the chapter however you please.

YYW: *Listens* You think Liz gave up on trying to break down the door.

Puck: Probably. Don't worry. Coyote can keep her busy long enough for you to finish the next chapter.