Kailor: I'm sorry all, for the late update! But review and I will get that next chapter up!

Naruto: Or die trying.

Kailor: …I wouldn't go that far…Oh, and Makks is pronounced, "Max".

Below her she heard Vaiden curse as the far away ground rushed toward them at an alarming rate. Within that second her mind raced. Her back automatically tensed, ready to release her wings. Her brain reacted violently, rejecting the ripple under the skin of her shoulders. This was her secret. She couldn't—

Vaiden shifted below her, pulling his legs to his chest. It looked like he expected to land neatly on his feet. She fought tears as she came to a decision and began to accept the emergence of her wings; the revelation of her deformity.

She almost fell clean out of the sky as, with a wind-dulled tear, Vaiden's tunic split open and she watched two ebony wings force their way from beneath his shoulder blades. He spun and caught her to his chest. His wings fanned out, catching the wind. With a twirl he dropped and faced the ground, his midnight black wings carrying them to the lake shore. He landed at the water's edge. Magden, Ashlyn, Kaede, and Kotaro were waiting. Kaede was bent over Kotaro who was prone in the sand, grimacing.

"Vaiden!" Magden exclaimed.

"I had to," Vaiden sighed as he let Setsuna go. "I'm not sure what you were planning with that jump, but I did what needed to be done. I understand this raises questions but we can handle that when we're safe."

"Good idea. Kotaro is injured," Kaede spoke up. Setsuna rushed to her side and examined the wound. Kotaro's leg was split open from thigh to ankle. Kaede had tied a piece of her shirt around his upper thigh to stop the bleeding and Kotaro was holding the ragged remnants of his pants leg to the cut. Setsuna whistled a loud shrill call. The water a ways out foamed as Killik's horns emerged, shooting towards them. Vaiden, Magden, and Ashlyn cried out, falling back as the beast rose from the murky lake depths, water cascading down his dark form. His white eyes glowed in the moonlight and his silver tongue flickered in and out of sight. Sitting on his shoulder, Akira waved.

"It's ok," Setsuna explained to the rescued group. "He's with us." She and Kaede lifted Kotaro between them and leapt to Killik's back. Magden, who apparently did not know how to chi-jump, waded out and scrambled up Killik's foreleg and wrapped himself securely around one of his back spines. Vaiden wrapped an arm around Ashlyn's waist and with one strong flap of his wings he carried them both to Killik's back. As he settled around another of Killik's spines his ebony wings pulled back into his shoulders, leaving only smooth skin and a torn tunic.

"I'll go ahead and tell Kiona you succeeded plus some," Akira nodded to Setsuna and slipped into the water, shooting away.

Magden's jaw dropped. "She's a Shark!"

"And this boy is a wolf," Vaiden said, looking more closely at Kotaro. He rounded on Setsuna. "Why do you have Barbarians here in Mania?"

"You're here." she countered. "You're Crows, aren't you?"

Vaiden closed his mouth and he and Magden exchanged a glance. "I'm not sure I feel comfortable telling everything just yet. I want to talk to my brother in private first. Where are we going?"

"Back to camp. We'll decide what to do with the two of you then." Kaede answered, a small threat in her voice. Setsuna realized that Kaede intended to hold the two boys prisoner until she knew more about them. "Setsuna?" With a start, she saw that Kaede was turning to her for leadership. Quickly she debated what Kaede wanted her to say.

Kaede wanted her to lead, not to say what she wanted to hear. Setsuna licked her suddenly dry lips.

"We will allow you to keep your weapons until we reach the other shore. You understand I can't let you into our camp with weapons without knowing your stories?"

Vaiden bit his lip. Magden opened his mouth to fight.

"Alright," Vaiden murmured over his brother's protests. "You saved us. We can't ask you to let potential threats into your camp. We still want to talk before we reveal anything, but should we choose to not reveal anything will you just release us and let us go our way? We don't want to be rescued from one prison just to be put back in chains."

"I shall."

"Deal." They shook hands and Magden nodded with a sigh.

"Keep an eye out behind us," Kotaro griped through his teeth. "They may come after us."

"They won't be able to keep up with Killik." Kaede replied.

"They don't have to. They just have to get close enough for an archer to take a shot." Setsuna said. Kotaro nodded. "Vaiden, notch an arrow and be prepared. Ashlyn, move to the front of Killik's neck with Kaede and Kotaro. Magden, you're good there." The group jostled about, repositioning themselves.

"Alright, my turn!" Ashlyn spoke up as she knelt next to Kotaro. "Why did you come to get me from Fort Kinsten?"

"I want to leave that explanation for Kiona."

"Diana's sister?"

"Yes. She's at the camp waiting for us." Ashlyn paused for a second then nodded, accepting that she had to wait. She looked at Vaiden and looked like she was about to say something, then lowered her head and focused on Kotaro. Unable to find any more questions that could be answered at that time, Setsuna seated herself beside Magden and watched the fort's lights fade. Vaiden sat at the ready, an arrow loosely notched to his bow. Magden had unlooped his whips from his belt and they sat beside him. Ashlyn and Kaede tended to Kotaro as best they could.

"What happened back there?" Kaede finally asked. "How did they know?"

"That was my fault, sort of." Setsuna grudgingly admitted. "I threw a Sleep Ball and didn't have time to pick up the shell when the captain entered. He had a skinny man in fine clothes and Ashlyn with him. I focused on saving her and the skinny man ran when I incapacitated the captain. He must have raised the alarm."

"His name is Roshen. He's the fort leader's pampered son. Lord Ensu appointed him the captain's partner and he acts like he can control the whole fort." Ashlyn snorted. "He's the one who wanted me kept on a chain because I back-talked."

"He's the one who had us thrown in the cells." Vaiden growled.

"Why?" Kaede asked.

"I won't tell you everything, but to make it simple, we were passing through and stopped at the fort for a few days to rest. We paid the lord a few coins for two beds and a bath each. We met Ashlyn here and made friends. Then while we were eating dinner one day he came and had us thrown in the dungeon. I think he was jealous of the attention Ashlyn was paying us and not him." He smiled back at the hazel-eyed girl. She stuck her tongue at him.

Setsuna couldn't keep the smile off her face. They settled into silence as Killik swayed through the water.

She glanced up at the moon and judged that there were still about three hours before dawn. With a sigh she realized she probably wasn't going to sleep much tonight.

When Killik finally stopped in the shallows of the other shore she heard Kiona calling for her. Magden had dozed off and Killik's abrupt stop jolted him. He grunted and fell over Killik's side into the water. Setsuna and Kaede lifted Kotaro and jumped him to shore. Vaiden and Ashlyn jumped down into the water and followed. Kiona was waiting anxiously at the very edge of the lake. Behind her Konoka, Asuna, and Asakura were waiting. Setsuna immediately met Konoka's eyes and saw the princess's relief. She wondered what Kiona had told them. As Vaiden climbed out of the shallows and straightened up Kiona noticed him. Her face went pale and her eyes widened.

"Makks?" Vaiden froze, eyeing the old woman. Kiona stepped closer and for a few tense moments nobody moved, watching the two. Then Kiona shook her head. "I'm sorry. You just look exactly like someone I knew."

"Makks?"

"Yes," Kiona said. "But he is long dead."

"That was my father's name." Vaiden whispered.

Kiona flashed a glance at Setsuna. Magden managed to pull himself out of the water and approached, soaked. Kiona's jaw dropped.

"What'd I miss?" He asked, wringing out his clothes.

"I think this woman knows our father," Vaiden said. Magden stopped moving.

"I don't—"

"You said I look exactly like a man you once knew named Makks. My father was named Makks and he died when we were children." Vaiden said, advancing quietly on the woman. He cocked his head to the side and something nagged at Setsuna's mind. She stepped between him and her former master, but faced Kiona.

"What's wrong, Kiona?" The old woman licked her lips and blinked quickly, casting for words. Sweat beaded her brow and she turned to the ground for the answers she couldn't seem to find.

The entire group was silent. Even Kotaro had apparently forgotten he was injured. They stood at rapt attention, craning for every word, watching every move. Setsuna caught Kiona's gaze and held it, begging with her eyes for an answer. Kiona finally sighed.

"Your father's name was Makks?" She asked Vaiden. The boy nodded. She turned back to Setsuna. "Setsuna, your father's name was Makks."