Wow, guys, I'm so sorry! My family and I just went on vacation! I didn't have any time to write, plus, the notorious NO WIFI! School's coming fast, ugh! Anyways, I'm very sorry about the long absence. I'll try to get better about that.

Chapter 35

Minke flew high overhead as the three girls and the two animals ran through the forest. They had been traveling for several days now and had reached their destination. Nyal motioned for her crew to stop. For this particular mission, she was leader. She crouched in the bushes and gave a high whistle. She had discovered a new power Minke had given her. The ability to hear, and make, high-pitched and low-pitched sound unable to be detected by the human ear. Larquin and Russet also got this power. But, as far as they knew, it was exclusive to the Second Sight bonds. Minke heard the call and dove down, landing lightly on the ground next to her. Nyal gave her a nod of approval. Minke tended to be a bit unobedient lately. She focused her eyes on what her goal was. There in front her, bringing many memories rushing back, was the concrete building. The old prison.

She turned to Russet and Larquin and quickly reminded them of the plan. They were to sneak into the building, using force to open the doors. Shut off the alarms, find the main control room, which Russet claimed she had spotted on their way out the first time they escaped. They were then to force their way into it, and Russet had reported racks and racks of keys. Then they were to open three cells give the keys to the escapees. Meanwhile, Russet, Nyal and Larquin would guard each prisoner and protect them against guards. They were to take as many prisoners out of the guards as possible, and if possible, not to kill. Nyal made sure her backpack was on tightly, it held all the essentials they needed to do this. Each of them had a pack.

She nodded to her friends and motioned to go. Giving a deep breathe she burst out of the brush and crouched low, running hard and fast. Minke glided behind her, staying low. She gave Nyal boosts of speed. She made it to the building within seconds. Larquin and Cumba came next, followed by Russet and Valkyria. Nyal stayed close to the wall, creeping along it until she reached the door. She stepped back and Larquin impaled it with a rock. It gave a loud metallic clang as she did so. Vines wrapped around the rock-impaled door and threw it aside. Nyal leapt in as the alarm started. She leapt up using wind to boost her and clicked the off button before it got too loud. She dropped silently to the ground and Minke glided in and landed on her shoulder. Russet took the lead, they scurried through the halls, Minke glided around each corner. And, as she went around the fourth one she gave a high-pitched cry. (A/N high-pitched means too high for other humans to hear.)

Nyal took the lead and crept around the corner. A guard walked towards them, staring at the person in front of him. It was a prisoner, gagged, blindfolded, and tied at the wrists. They must have just raided another town and got new prisoners. Nyal made a high-pitched sound to warn her friends and then ran at the guard, she pulled her mace out of her belt at her side and leapt into the sky, Minke swooped under her and latched onto the now alert guard's shoulder, he gave a yelp as he spotted Nyal and Minke. Nyal scissor kicked him, and he fell, his grasp on the prisoner faltered and the prisoner fell and scooted over the to the wall. Nyal landed on her feet and spotted Cumba, running towards her and the fallen guard. He pounced on the foe, pinning him down with a grunt. Nyal quickly covered his mouth as he started to yell a warning to anyone who might be nearby. Russet, Larquin, and Valkyria appeared, then a blinding pain sliced through her shoulder. The guys spirit animal! It was a black panther, it slashed her shoulder with it's claws again. Minke leapt off the guy's shoulder, she rose into the air and then folded her wings and dove head first at the large cat. She snapped open her wings at the last possible second, her body swung forwards, but slowed abruptly, her talons raked the cats face.

Valkyria ran to Minke's aid. Nyal motioned to Russet and she took over the guard. Nyal jumped up and swung her mace at the panther. It ducked just before it hit it's head, and lunged for Nyal. A burst of dexterity rushed through Nyal and she leapt over the cat, did a back flip and landed on her feet behind the panther. She swung her mace hard at it's hind leg, connecting with a sickening crunch. The cat gave a yelp of pain and fell to the floor. Minke circled it a few feet above, sometimes going in to nick it's side. The poor animal snapped at Minke but didn't get up. Nyal, who didn't have the heart to kill the poor thing quickly knocked it out and strode over to the guard. "Put it in passive." She growled, and the guy did. Larquin had freed the prisoner. It was women, she was probably in her mid twenties to thirties. She had wavy brown hair, blue eyes, and a blue shirt. On her elbow was a tattoo of a gazelle.

"We're here to help." Russet said to the lady, who seemed cautious, but not all that scared.

"Yeah, I'm Larquin, and that's Nyal and Russet." Larquin said.

"This is my spirit animal, Minke, she's a seahawk." Nyal said as Minke landed on her shoulder. "The cougar is called Cumba, he's bonded to Larquin. And the red fox is named Valkyria, she belongs to Russet."

The women nodded and said. "I am Annaska (Ann-as-ka) I come from Nilo. My spirit animal is a gazelle called Grassrunner." Annaska said no more.

"You can release Grassrunner, our animals are very well-behaved they won't fight him." Russet said.

Reluctantly, Annaska released her gazelle. The animal looked around a bit, then stared at them. He snorted and threw his head. Minke clacked her beak in warning before leaping off Nyal's shoulder and gliding ahead.

"Guess that means it's time to go." Nyal said. "Russet take care of the guard, we discussed this, meet us in the training place as soon as possible." Nyal said then jogged after Minke. The mission was going well.