Colm had decided to cut Xanaphia free, cutting the branches and vines that held her.

"Why won't you let me cut your hair? It would be easier than untangeling the brabch from it."

Xanaphia's eyes shifted and didn't answer, only took another swipe with her sharp claw-like fingernails at the vine closest to her. Another few minutes passed before she was free, she started to walk toward the houses, while untangeling her hair. She paused after a few feet. Why was she going back to the houses? She turned back to Colm.

"Where's Rhyan?" She asked. When he shrugged, she rolled her eyes, and whistled three times. Soon a crashing came from overhead as Rhyan fought his way through the canopy. Xanaphia smiled, then frowned. and felt her teeth. As sharp as a leopards.

"Oh, great." She muttered, then looked at Rhyan as he landed softly on the ground. He looked at her with as much surprise as a Griffyn was capable of. He raised an eyebrow.

"This is a new look." He commented. "I like what you've done ot your hair." Xanaphia scowled at him, while she tugged yet another vine from her hair. A twig snapped from behind them. While Rhyan and Colm turned their heads to look, Xanaphia's cat ears merely swiveled back. It was a snake. Colm was releived to see. But as Xanaphia turned to look at it, her ears went flat against her hair. Inching as close to Colm as she dared, she whispered.

"That be no viper, but a hydra." She chose her words carefully, knowing that if she said anything with a hissing "s" in it, it would allert the hydra. As Colm looked closer he saw something that puzzled him. It did not look like the hydra's he had seen. It did not have...the thought trailed off, as the second and third heads slithered out of the bushes. THis must be a tropical hydra. almost fully serpent, exept for the body, which most closely resembled that of a small dragon. It's small leathery wings fluttered. It could not fly, so they might have a chance of escape. Colm saw that Xanaphia saw this too, but she did not look so releived.

"What is the matter?" Colm asked her, "It can't fly."

She replied again in whisper. "They can fly when they are full grown. THen that be a baby, and where be the mother?" Colm had just enough time to worry about this, when they heard more snapping of twigs

Xanaphia was still trying to deal with the bizarness of being both leopard and elfen at the same time. Her tail twitched, and her ears tilted back as the Mother hydra came to gather her young. As soon as her slit pupils landed on Xanaphia, Colm and Rhyan, all three heads reared up, along with the giant Dragon body. One head struck, towards Xanaphia. She leapt out of the way, thanking the Gods that she still had her leopard speed. The second and third head struck. Xanaphia had to think. She thought she had seen the light of intelligence in it's eyes. She backed away from the young hydra. Her hands in the air, claws retracted. Showing no threat in anyway. She motioned for Rhyan and Colm to do the same, or close to it, in Rhyan's case. The Hydra looked at them, tilited the middle head to the left. When it spoke it used all three heads, it's voice both feosious, gentle, and tired at the same time.

"What are you doing?" It asked, as the middle head still tilted to one side.

Xanaphia chose to speak first. Maybe her own odd appearance would win a note of empathy from the Hydra.

"Showing that we're not a threat. Why did you attack us?"

The hydra smirked, the light of intelligence changing from the middle to the head on the left. "Three heads on one body, you think we all agree all the time? Of course not, so for each action, whichever gets the first response chooses the action." Then the light switched to the right head which glared at them in the way that one might look at an enemy. Then, before the head could do anything, the middle took controle again.

"I apologise for the rashness. Right doesn't have much in the way of practicality."

Xanaphia bowed, and escused them to go on with their walk. As she walked, Xanaphia commented, "Do you know how bizzar it is to be able to see in both color AND black and white?"

Colm and Rhyan shook their heads, still a little shaken from the Hydra attack, but Colm was quickly recovering.
Colm couldn't help but ask, "How did you know that the hydra was a baby?" Xanaphia shrugged and said, "Instinc? I don't know, but I think I figured any way, because that looked way too small to be a full grown hydra. Her ear twitched as a fly buzzed around it. Colm smiled.

"Do you want to try turning back now?"

Xanaphia shrugged, and turned fully Leopard. She yawned and streched.

"Wow, it feels nice to be in one's fur again. She shook the rest of the leafs out of her fur, then turned back to Half-elf. Her hair was leaf-free, and she whistled cheerfully. They still had an issue on their hands, how to get Rhyan back to the continent. Colm and Xanaphia disscussed this for a short while, untill Colm had an Idea.

"Hey, Rhyan, would you mind going by wave? Aunt Neppy could arange that, and it would be easier than flying." Rhyan considered it. He didn't enjoy water, but he could handle it. He shrugged and nodded.

"Then let's go see Aunt Neppy!" Colm said, looking far happier about this than he had been to see his father.

The walked down the path, but instead of turning right to go to Alcomist's house, they turned left, then another right to the Sea Goddess. While Alcomist's house had looke sickeningly like a valintine's card, This house looked like the sea, Each room a different mood. The sunset, storm, calm summer day, mysterious and foggy. All in one house. Xanaphia's head almost swam as she looked all around. All those water colors made her uneasy. A beautiful woman, dressing in an auquamarine dress that flowed around her as if the sea breeze were tossing it about. Her make up was simple, with eyes that matched the dress, and coral lipstick. While no other woman in the world would choose sucha combination, it seemed to work for her. She welcomed Colm with open arms, while he rushed in like a child, calling "Aunty!!" Xanaphia tilted her head to the side, while The Sea Goddess welcomed Colm back. Then she turned to Xanaphia. A knowing look in her eyes.

"Ah, I see Alcomist has tried his tricks on you. Well, don't fear, he's only trying to help along what he sees as inevitable. It probably is, but he's so impatient." Nepptian stepped forward and hugged Xanaphia. She smelled of sea salt and water lillies,and her hair was a dark grey like the winter sea. Colm cleared his throat.

"Well, Aunty, we came to ask a favor. See, We have to get back to the continent, and I can Blink Xanpahia and I there, but I can't blink Rhyan there. I was wondering--" Nepptain interupted.

"You want to know if I can give him passage on the waves."

Xanaphia put her two cents in, " Only to the point to where he can fly there. It's too far to fly from here." Nepptian looked at her.

"Alright. I can do it. does he want something to sit on, like a raft? If he can hang on, I can have him there in two days."

Xanaphia looked at Rhyan. "Are you ok with this?"
Rhyan nodded. "Two days isn't much, and then I can go back to Coppersea, and get the rodents out of my cave."

Xanaphia laughed, then looked over at the door to the house, to see a starteling person there.

Sorry that it's taken me so long to update, but four chapters in one go is pretty good, doncha think? hehehe, cliffhangers. I love them.