A/N: Back with another chapter! Sorry it's a little late. Holidays and all. Also, I've been a bit sick. Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoys this one! And thank you to everyone who has favorited/followed! Review responses at the end, as per usual. : )

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

Whippersnapper

"Kill it."

The words echoed in Juvia's head as she recalled the previous day in the mines. She shivered when she thought of the cold, angry look in his eyes. Ojo's behavior had been wholly unexpected; Juvia never would have dreamed that his first response would be something so violent. Thankfully, Gray had been completely on her side and said that they weren't going to kill the Glacies Strix. Juvia forbade any of them from touching the creature and ordered them to leave it be until they figured out just what to do about the creatures in the mines. It was clear that their presence was disrupting the waterways and causing the water to not be pumped up from the aquaduct. These creatures were so rare that they had become the stuff of legends and folklore. Clearly this needed to be handled delicately, as Juvia both wanted to solve the town's water problem and at the same time wanted to make sure the creatures were treated humanely. She couldn't live with herself if any harm came to them, especially when they were obviously roosting somewhere completely atypical to their usual surroundings. The real question was, how did they get there in the first place?

Juvia and Gray had returned to the Mayor's house to speak to him about the creatures, but he was unavailable when they came calling. There was "important business" that required him to go out of town for a duration, but he left word that he would speak with them the moment he returned. Juvia found this to be very frustrating, and wondered how he expected them to get anything done if they were unable to pool all the necessary resources. The mayor would play a pivotal role in this, as the town was under his jurisdiction and control, and there was no deputy mayor to speak of. Only steely faced Mrs. Hanover, who provided them no further information and quickly ushered them out of the door.

"Well, now what?" Gray asked, turning to Juvia. She was nominally irritated and a bit uncertain as to what to do next. The water mage furrowed her brow, and crossed her arms over her chest with huff.

"You know, for someone who supposedly wants to solve his town's problem, he sure does have a strange way of showing it. He's obstructing us at every turn!" she glowered, irritably glancing back at the house as they walked away. Gray nodded and rubbed the back of his head, uncertain as to what to do.

"Yeah it's pretty weird how he's not being very helpful," Gray said plainly. "He claims to care, but has a funny way of showing it."

They walked for a short while, Juvia thoroughly annoyed and frustrated because she wasn't sure what to do next. Should they attempt to catch the other creature? Should they let the first creature go for the time being? The water mage could not stand the fact that the poor creature was caged and alone, kept from it's mate. She thought of how she would feel if she was caged and kept away from Gray… it made her feel quite cold and empty. It was the way she felt before she met Gray and started her new life with Fairy Tail. It broke her heart to think of that poor lonely creature sitting in that icy cage in those dark, cold mines. Of course, its natural habitat were the frozen caves of the northern country of Iceberg. It was so very strange that they were living in caves in this warm, arid climate. The whole situation didn't make sense. The mayor had been clueless to their being present in the first place and attempted to chalk up the disturbance in the mines as a "haunting". What exactly was he hoping to accomplish? As if reading her mind, Gray piped up.

"You know Juves, something is pretty weird about this whole situation. Did you ever consider that there might be something suspicious going on?" he asked as they walked further up the road. Juvia was nodding this time. She didn't think Gray was being overly cynical or paranoid. There certainly was something strange going on.

"I think you're right Gray...there is something very suspect about this situation. And I'm beginning to believe that the mayor very well be the one behind it," she said in a low voice. She moved closer to him and dropped her voice to almost a whisper. "Sometimes it feels as though there might be someone...watching. It makes me rather nervous," she admitted, a shiver coming over her. Gray reached and grabbed for her hand, lacing her fingers between his.

"Yeah, well don't worry babe. I won't let anyone hurt you," he said reassuringly, giving her hand a squeeze and smiling. "Just like you wouldn't let anyone hurt me." She looked back and him and smiled, gripping his hand a little tighter. He always knew how to make her feel better, even when she was at her most glum.

"I know, darling. You're so very correct. I was just hoping to actually solve the problem on this job, and it seems I've done everything but!" she admitted, shrugging a little. "But I suppose from here on out we will have to trust our intuition and handle the only way we know how- like true members of Fairy Tail!" With her last statement she dramatically threw her shoulders back and thrust out her chin confidently. Gray grinned.

"Now you're talkin' Juves! We got this." he chimed in, throwing an arm around her and hugging her to him. "Whatever they throw at us, we'll handle no problem."

Juvia nodded and smiled, blushing a little. She always got a little flustered when Gray showed her any kind of approval. Of all the people in the world, his opinion was one that really did matter. She was happy to make him proud because it meant she was doing something better for herself and the world around her. That's all he ever really wanted from her, and she understood that now. The couple continued on to the Inn, unaware that their peeping creeper was at it again, watching their every move and picking up on bits of their conversation.

.xxx.

The couple arrived at the inn a short while later, deep in discussion about the events of the last few days. They were careful to speak in a code of sorts, not letting out too many details where prying ears could hear them. They had been especially careful once they were in the town limits again. There was no telling who would be trying to listen in on them. And if they at the point of suspecting the mayor of foul play, the last thing they wanted to do was alert any of his precious townsfolk. The two mages didn't know who they could trust, and at this point, they would only rely on one another. A pair of eyes followed them still as they moved into the Inn, watching as they climbed the stairs together. Now would be the time to strike, and this mysterious figure knew it. It was all a matter of timing… and not getting caught.

If they struck quickly, no one would notice and everything would go along seamlessly. No one would ever suspect them. There was no way on Earthland that it could EVER happen.

"I have to get to them before anyone else does," the mysterious figure said in whisper. "Only then will we all avoid certain doom."

.xxx.

Gray laid back on the bed, resting his eyes as he waited for Juvia to freshen up after their dusty trek out to the Mayor's mansion. She had been pretty frustrated that the venture was fruitless, and they were right where they left off- a dead end. Gray wasn't sure what to do about the situation either. But one thing was for sure- he was at least glad Juvia had opened her eyes about this place and its people. Well, at least some of its people. There had to be plenty of innocent bystanders. He suspected descendants of some of the original settlers of the farming community had nothing to do with anything of the funny business that had been going on. From what Gray understood, the town itself had been around for a long time. It was only in the last decade that this mayor had been trying to play it up as some kind of island oasis amongst the dry and deadly desert. He had learned all of this from Jack during their long talk the a couple days previous.

The ice mage stared up at the ceiling, thinking about their next course of action when he heard an odd crinkling noise. Getting up from the bed, he began looking around for the source of the sound. He took a few steps forward and noticed a piece of paper laying on floor near the entryway to their room. Curious, Gray picked up the piece of mystery paper and looked it over.

Ladies and gentlemen, do you find yourself

In need of a wildlife specialist?

A furry friend aficionado?

Well search no further!

Anais Willowberry,

Animal Expert, both magical and non.

-Certified

-Licensed

-30 years experience

Find at Jack's Waterin' Hole

Every Tuesday Night

At first Gray couldn't help but laugh at the cheesy advertising he got to thinking… animal expert, both magical and non… Maybe this lady could help them. And it just so happened that it was Tuesday. He waited until Juvia emerged from the bathroom and then held out the flier to her. She took it from him, casting him a look of confusion.

"Gray darling, what is this?" she asked curiously, taking the sheet of paper from him and looking it over. Her blue eyes studied the sheet for a few moments, reading over the advertisement. "An animal expert! Oh goodness, this is just what we need!" Juvia was starting to get excited at the prospect that they might have found an answer to their problem.

Gray nodded solemnly. "Yeah I wonder if she can help us out. Says both magical and non-magical animals. Either way, maybe she'll have some answers for us."

Juvia nodded excitedly, looking over the paper again. "Jack's Waterin' Hole," she read out loud, then looked up at Gray. "Isn't this the place you went the other day?"

"Yeah, sure is. Guess we'll have to pay a visit," Gray said, running his fingers through his hair. "You want to get something to eat first or head straight over there?"

"Hmm.. I don't think I could enjoy a meal as I would be anxious to talk to this woman," she said, considering for a moment. " Perhaps we can see to this and have lunch afterward, darling?"

"Yeah, no problem. Let's head over there then," he replied, heading for the door. He stopped when he realized she wasn't following and turned back around and looked at her questioningly. "You comin'?"

"Um...Gray darling…" she said, stifling a giggle as she pointed at him, her cheeks a bit red.

"What? What's wrong?" he said, looking down and around him.

"Darling… your shirt. You're not wearing it," Juvia provided, now giggling openly.

"Ah dammit!" he cursed, frowning and looking around for his discarded shirt. He really did have a stripping problem. It just happened without any sort of notice and he was so used to it that he didn't even pay mind to being half naked. He found the shirt near the bed and quickly put it back on, flashing a grin at Juvia.

"Alright, there we go. You ready to head out now?" he said, holding out his hand to her. She blushed a little and smiled, nodding as she took his hand.

"Yes, I'm ready darling. Let's go!"

They headed for Jack's straight away, wanting to be sure to catch this woman Anais Willowberry. As they walked they discussed what they were going to talk to her about. They decided that they would describe the animal and then make mention of the book Juvia had. They weren't sure what kind of person she might be, so they had no way of even guessing how she might react when they told her what they had found. It was possible that she might not even believe them. But then there was also the slim chance that she had actually heard of these things before and would know what to do with them. They were both hoping for the latter, as it would make their jobs a hell of a lot easier.

"By the way Gray, where did that flier come from?" Juvia asked as they rounded a corner, glancing at him curiously. They had been so caught up in the moment and rushing to reach Jack's that he had yet to tell her how he found it.

"Actually, I dunno. I found on the floor near the door," he said with a shrug. "I heard some rustling while you were in the bathroom, and got up and found that flier on the floor by the bottom of the door."

Juvia frowned a little, shaking her head. "That's rather strange. I wonder if someone has overheard us discussing the Glacies Strix. Or perhaps word got around from some of the others that were down there with us. I imagine that it's been quite talked about by now."

Gray nodded and shrugged again. "Yeah that's probably it. Whoever it was did us a major favor. Or I hope so at least, providing this lady isn't a total nutjob."

They continued on to Jack's, walking hand in hand. He'd glance over at her every so often just to catch a look of her. She looked so determined and serious, her brow slightly crinkled and her mouth set in a firm line. He really admired that side of her. It wasn't that he didn't like her other sides, but this particular side of her showed her strength, her passion, her iron will. She cared so much about others and completely threw herself into her work. He knew how important finishing this job was to her, and he wanted to do everything he could to help her in that. And to be honest, he felt bad for the innocent people in town that had nothing to do with whatever was going on here. He wondered if they even knew about the enchantments being used on the town, and hell, some of them might have been drawn here because of that magic. It almost drew Juvia in when she was feeling empty and depressed. There might be a large amount of people were lured to this town under false pretenses. He knew he would be pretty pissed off if he found out that he was lured somewhere by magic. But the most important thing here was helping Juvia solve this mystery and taking care of the town's water problem.

They finally reached Jack's and entered quickly, both anxious to find this Anais woman. They had high hopes that she would be the expert she claimed to be and not some screwball hack. Well Gray was thinking that anyway. Juvia probably wouldn't be one to assume that they lack might be unreliable. She always tried to see the best in everyone she encountered. When they entered the tavern, they saw that it was fairly vacant sans a few locals taking up stools at the bar itself. Jack looked up from drying a glass and saw them, giving Gray a nod of greeting. Gray led Juvia by the hand toward the bar area, straight for Jack.

"Greetings friend. Can I get you something to drink?" Jack greeted him,flashing a friendly smile, glancing over at Juvia and then back to Gray. Gray shook his head and smiled in a friendly enough way.

"No thanks Jack, not right now. Jack, this is Juvia Lockser, the mage that was hired by the mayor to solve the town's water problem. She also happens to be my girlfriend," Gray said, introducing her to the tavern owner.

The older man smiled genuinely, the laugh lines that creased near his eyes showing as he chuckled, reaching forward and extending a hand to Juvia. "Well it's an honor, Miss Lockser. There's been all sorts of talk about you in this place. You've caused quite a bit of excitement in this little town of ours."

Juvia smiled brightly as she shook his hand, her cheeks flushing a little. "Oh, well I do hope that the chatter has been good. I want to do my very best for your lovely town," she said sweetly without a hint of irony or sarcasm. Her gorgeous dark blue eyes shined with sincerity and excitement as she spoke. "I hope that we will be able to solve this problem very soon!"

"Actually Jack ol' boy, that's partially why we're here. Do you know where we can find Anais Willowberry?" Gray asked, looking around the tavern and then returning his gaze to Jack. Jack's expression then went blank, blinking several times and staring at them, not speaking a word. Gray looked back at him, eyebrows raised as he waited for some kind of response. "Uhh...Jack?"

After a few moments, the man shook himself out of his momentary stupor and cleared his throat, straightening himself. "Sorry about that. It's just… well, no one goes asking for Anais unless they're a local. Just a bit strange to hear someone from out of town ask about her. She's a bit...wild...and all."

Juvia and Gray glanced nervously at each other and then back to the gray haired barkeep. "Um.. excuse me Jack…" Juvia began tentatively, "What exactly do you mean by...wild?"

Jack motioned for them to both come closer, motioning to the barstools right in front of him. The two mages looked rather confused, but accepted his off and each sat in a stool. Jack leaned on the bar and leaned in close to them, speaking in hushed tones, " Now I don't want to make her sound like some kind of deviant or somethin', but Anais has a reputation for being a bit...out there, ya know what I mean? Says she can talk to spirits and animals. We just sort of let her be because she's so damn old. 110 at last count! Her family was one of the original families to start this settlement. She was just a young girl when they came here, uprooted from everything she knew and loved. They say she never really adjusted to life out here, always taking her own path on everything, forging her own way. Unfortunately that led to her earning a reputation as a bit of a weirdo. Now, no one can deny that she knows her way around a barnyard. Whatever ails your livestock, Anais Willowberry will have a cure. There's no denying that, no sir. And she knows everything there is to know about animal husbandry. Mind you, sometimes her reasoning is a little unorthodox, but her remedies are sure fire. Anyway, I don't want to talk your ears off about it, but I feel that I should warn you about her. She's a bit off her rocker, is all."

The two had listened rather intently as he described the woman they sought, but rather than the story of a crazy old loon, they each found a note of themselves in it. As a young boy, Gray had lost everything he had known and loved when Deliora ravaged and destroyed his entire village, killing his family in the process. And Juvia had been alienated from her family and peers because of the unrelenting rain of sadness that followed her wherever she went. Both had found a home amongst the odd and peculiar, a home amongst their own kind in a place called Fairy Tail. So, while they would heed his warnings and approach the old woman cautiously, they would not do so with closed minds. They would be open to what she might have to say. Afterall, it sounded like she did know what she was talking about, from what Gray understood. Juvia might be a little more prone to giving the woman the benefit of the doubt, but at this point, Gray was willing to be a little more trusting than usual. If she could help them, then so be it, screws loose or not.

"Well, thank you for the information, sir, but we would still most definitely like to meet with Ms. Willowberry. We are very much in need of an animal expert," Juvia said kindly, smiling politely. Jack glanced at Gray and the ice nodded.

"She's the boss, Jack. So are you gonna tell us where we can find this lady or not?" Gray said with a smirk, looking to the barkeep. The older man sighed and shook his head.

"Alright then, right over this way," he said, stepping out from behind the bar and waving for them to follow.

.xxx.

The two mages followed Jack to the back of the tavern, into a small room that sat off to the side. He led them to where a small cloaked figure sat slightly hunched over. Wisps of wild gray hair stuck out from under the hood, pointing every which way. They could see the shadow of a slightly hooked nose that donned a sizeable mole at the end of it, and a wheezing breath that escaped from under the hood. A bony, frail looking hand grasped a glass and drew it up to a pair of softly crinkled lips. Once the glass was set back down, Jack leaned down closer to the figure and held his hand near his mouth, as if to amplify his voice.

"Hey there Anais! Got some people that want to talk with ya," he said, practically yelling.

The hooded figure barely shifted in her seat, not showing any sort of response to Jack's attempt at an introduction. Instead she drew the glass up to her lips again and took a long, quenching sip before setting the glass back down on the table. She exhaled, her breath rattling as she did so, sounding like a thousand bones crunching under someone's foot. The sound alone sent a chill up Juvia's spine. Jack looked at them and shook his head, then turning back to the old woman, giving it another go.

"Anais! I said I got a couple of people that want to talk to ya!" he repeated, louder this time. Now the heads of a few other regulars curiously turned in their direction, looking to see what all the noise was about. When they saw that it had to do with Anais Willowberry they muttered amongst themselves and went back to their activities. Jack grimaced, shaking his head.

"I said-" he began, but was stopped by a bony hand being held up in his face.

"I heards ya jus' fine, ya dolt! Lemme finish ma scotch and then I'll conversate with the youngins," she croaked out, reaching for her glass again. She took another long sip, finishing off the glass before setting it back down on the table, letting out a satisfied sighed. "Now that's the stuff. Gits ya right in yer gullet! Heh heh!" The old crone cackled at her own quip, slapping the tabletop as she laughed. Juvia looked slightly alarmed, but Gray on the other hand was rather amused.

Anais cleared her throat and cocked her head, peering up at Juvia and Gray, who stared back curiously, neither of them sure of what to say. "You two are here to talk business then, ain'tcha? Have a seat then," she croaked, motioning to the chair across the table from her. She craned her neck and looked up at Jack. "You can excuse yerself now, ya damn whippersnapper! I gots business to discuss with these here youngins!"

Jack looked slightly perturbed but simply shook his head and turned to leave, mumbling to himself as he went. The elderly woman watched him go and waited until he was long gone before she turned back to Gray and Juvia. She pulled down her hood, revealing a wild, untamed mane of silvery gray locks that sprung out every which way. Throughout her hair there were strands of beads threaded into it, and feathers tied to the ends. Her eyes were a shocking, intense shade of violet that grabbed and held your attention, holding you captive. Though she was quite advanced in years, her gaze did not reveal it for her eyes were bright and vibrant. Her age betrayed her in the appearance of her soft, wrinkled skin that looked almost papery to the touch. She eyed them both, looking one up and down and then the other, giving a little grunt as she finished.

"Mages, ey?" she rasped, as they sat in the chairs across from her. They nervously glanced at each other and then looked back to her, uncertain of who should speak first. "Well ya can talk can'tcha? Less'n you be missin' yer tongue, then we got a mighty big problem!" She cackled again at her joke, her jovility contagious as they both tittered a little, relaxing slightly.

"Um.. yes, we are mages," Juvia began, folding her hands in her lap anxiously. "We come from the guild Fairy Tail. Initially Mayor Romsdale hired me to solve the town's water crisis, but since then my guildmate and team member has joined me. I'm Juvia Lockser, and this is Gray Fullbuster." She motioned to Gray, who nodded at the old woman and held out a hand for her to shake. However, she didn't take his hand and simply sniffed at him, leaving Gray to awkwardly withdraw his hand. She stared for a minute and then grunted, nodding at him.

"So you're a couple of Maki's brats, huh? That ol whippersnapper! Well at least that idiot Romsdale did one thing right," she barbed, sneering as she said the mayor's name. It was clear that she held some disdain for the him. Neither Juvia nor Gray had the time to process the face that she knew Makarov before Anais turned her attention to Gray. "You, you're an ice mage, hm?"

Gray sat up a little, straightening himself as she addressed him. "Uh..yeah, I am actually. How'd you know?" She stared at him for a long moment and then chuckled.

"The whole cool as a cucumber act ya got there, boy. And I can feel the cold from yeh," she cackled, waving him off. She turned her attention to Juvia now. "And you, you're the water mage. But don't got to have much brains to guess that, even if I didn't know yeh was hired for the job. Ya wear yer emotions like a second skin, yeh do!"

Juvia felt a chill run up her spine as Anais gazed at her, making her feel as though she could see straight into her soul. The old woman had something...odd...about her that Juvia couldn't quite put her finger on. She didn't exactly feel uncomfortable, but she didn't feel at ease either. But one thing was certain- she could read Juvia like a book! She simply nodded in response.

"Ms. Willowberry, we've come to you about… well...you see...well… it would seem that we've come across some...creatures…," Juvia said, stumbling a bit, casting a glance sideways at Gray who gently nodded to her, urging her to go on.

"Creatures, ya say? What sort of creatures?" she asked, her violet eyes shining with curiosity.

"You see..they're not exactly...traditional animals," the water mage continued nervously.

"I see, I see. Go on then," Anais said, urging her.

"They're rather large bird-like creatures that strongly resemble a certain creature I found in an animal guide, however, the source might be considered a bit questionable by some," she went on, her voice breaking slightly from nerves. She felt Gray's hand gently lay on the small of her back, rubbing in small, light circles. She relaxed immediately and then continued. "But well, we're not sure how to remove them from the mines. It seems they have infested the waterways and are currently roosting down in those caves. We seek to remove them, but we don't have the first clue as to how to handle these creatures. We want to be as humane as possible, of course."

The old woman looked at her critically, those fierce violet eyes arresting her gaze. She was frozen on the spot, suddenly feeling silly for rambling as much as she did. Why was she staring like that? What had Juvia said wrong? It almost as if she was….waiting? But what would she be waiting for.

"What are these "creatures" as you call them?" she croaked, looking back and forth between the two, baring her yellowing grin, several teeth missing from their proper place. They were both severely confused now, especially Juvia. Was she goading them? Poking fun?

"Well… the book called them… well they were called…" Juvia began carefully.

"Yes? G'won now…" Anais urged, leaning forward a little, her eyes shining with excitement as her bony hands gripped the table.

"Glacies Strix!" Juvia squeaked out suddenly, feeling rather nervous now. The old woman whooped and slapped the table top, releasing a braying laughter that seemed to reverberate off the walls of the room.

"Ha HA we got'em now! That no good, underhanded great-nephew of mine ain't gonna git away with his funny business no more!" she cackled. Suddenly the frail looking old woman was animated and mobile, getting up from her seat and pulling her cloak over her head. With the help of a rather ornate looking walking stick, she got herself to her feet. She automatically began hobbling toward the door as fast as her two spindly little legs could take her. Both Juvia and Gray just sat there, dumbfounded. She stopped at the doorway and turned around to address then.

"Well c'mon youngins you want to help those birds, don'tcha? We gots ter get movin' and quick!" she barked, waving them along. They simultaneously got up from their chairs and hurried after her. The followed the old woman out of the bar and onto the street, where she paused for a moment, looking to and fro. Once she chose a direction, they continued to follow her.

"Uh, Ms. Willowberry," Gray began.

"Anais, just call me Anais, dammit. Youngins bein' too formal," she growled as she hobbled along. She moving surprisingly quick for someone of her age. They were hustling to keep up with her.

"Okay right, Anais," he started again. "Should we be talking to someone about this?" He glanced over at Juvia, who looked positively baffled. She was feeling rather nervous about this entire situation. Where were they going? What were they doing? What did this insane old woman have in mind? And had she said the Mayor was her great-nephew?!

"You, water mage, I'm goin' to be needin ya to form a storm inside in the caves while your ice lovin' boyfriend here freezes it all over, ya got it? Now c'mon you whippersnappers!" Anais commanded as they continued to travel forward.

"Um.. yes, certainly...Anais.." Juvia stammered, still feeling rather uncertain. "But shouldn't we inform the Mayor as to what we're doing?"

"Ha! That ain't gonna be doin' no good! Who'dya think put 'em there in the first damn place?"

Ah the mystery unfolds a bit further! Exactly what role does the Mayor play in all of this? Did he really put the Glacies Strix down there himself? Were Juvia and Gray's suspicions right? And what about this Anais character? Is she something or what? Tune in next time to see what's to come!

And now onto the review responses!

Grace Buckley- Teehee~ I thought that would be a nice touch. ;D

MelinaRedfox398- I'm so glad you love the story! It makes me happy to know people enjoy what I write. And you're right, Ojo does just need to accept it. I'm with you. #teamGruvia

Darkhope- I'm glad they're together, too. :) And they totally make a great team! They are currently sharing a bed, but I think any bedroom action will probably happen outside this story. ;p LOL But there will most definitely be more romance!