Chapter 36

Jake

Full Moon 2

I had lied to Cassie. I had to. If they knew…If the Animorphs knew what was going on…

I shuddered to think what they would think of me. I turned to stare out the window. The moon was almost up…Almost…

I went outside. I couldn't risk being inside when changing. Silently (or at least, semi-silently) I moved through the bushes until I was a block or two away. This time, I wasn't going to be seen. I was going to hide from that one wolf beast. I didn't want to be tempted into becoming some sort of monster forever.

I moved so that I was hidden from the moonlight, but I knew that I was going to change anyway. And change I did…

It went faster this time. I was a werewolf in less than a minute. On all fours, I had the senses and the speed of some supernatural creature.

Quickly, I raced through the night towards a grove of trees I knew of. I would hide there from the wolf creature, and await the dawn.

After I had left the city area, I moved slower, until I could smell the trees, and see them. They were just ahead when I caught the sent of something else. Human.

It took a minute for my brain to register. What was a human doing out in the middle of the night at a grove of trees, at least three miles from civilization?

I slowed to a trot. There was another sent. A scent that chilled me. It was the other werewolf's scent. I slid into the shadows, circling the grove, going in smaller and smaller circles 'til I could hear. I perked my ears, and laid down so that they wouldn't be able to see me.

"-That's when we met Ax. He's our resident Andalite aristh. His full name is like, 'Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil', but it's too hard to pronounce so we just call him Ax."

The voice cut into me. MARCO! What was he doing in there, telling someone- or something- our history?

I raced towards the grove without thinking, and burst through the trees and brush.

MARCO! I cried. What are you doing with that- that thing?

Marco looked surprised. The wolf leapt up, and turned facing me, its fur raising on its body making it look three times bigger.

Wolfing! It howled. I told you-

"Leave him alone, Kari."

Kari?!

Yes, The other beast bristled. Kari. That is the name I was born with. But Jake, you are about to learn why the other night-creatures call me Raksha.

I growled back, baring my teeth, while we began to circle. Marco was yelling something, waving his arms, but we didn't listen. This time, the wolf-beast wasn't going to escape.

Chapter 37

Cassie

I puzzled about what had happened. I was at home. I had taken Ax to the woods hours ago, after convincing him I didn't have any money to buy him a cinnamon bun.

I wondered why Jake had stayed home, because I had called his mother and she had told me he wasn't home.

Which was strange. Jake had never abandoned a mission, really. He might be uncomfortable, or nervous- but he NEVER abandoned a mission or lied about it. Which made me worried. I called Rachel's house, but Rachel wasn't home. I didn't know Marco's phone number. So I decided to go to his house.

***

After finding no success there, I was REALLY worried. Marco, Jake, and Rachel weren't home. I figured Rachel and Tobias were still at the mall. But where was Marco?

I had to find him. So I decided to go see Ax to see if he might have any ideas. Plus, two can cover a search faster than one.

***

We searched the forest, Ax below the tree level and I above. I was in owl morph, and Ax was himself- after all, he knows the forest almost better than Tobias does. But Jake wasn't there. I doubted he would have been, but…You never know.

So we searched on. I called his mom again to see if she knew where he had gone. I called Rachel's house to see if she was home yet. But she wasn't. Neither was Marco. So Ax and I were stuck to find Jake on our own.

Turning to Ax, I tried to find out if Marco had said anything about where he was going. If we found Marco, he might know something. Maybe he was with Jake.

No, sorry Cassie. He didn't do or say anything unusual when Tobias and I were with him. Maybe we should search the town?

"It would take to long to search the whole town. You're SURE he didn't say anything about tonight? Like, meeting someone or going somewhere?"

No, he didn't.

I sighed. "Maybe we should just give up. Well. We can always look for Rachel and Tobias. They might know something. Tobias might, at least."

Fine. Does this that mean at the mall we get cinnamon buns? I could hear the eagerness in his 'voice'.

I laughed. "Sure Ax. You can have one or two when we find Rachel and Tobias."

Chapter 38

Tobias

Rachel dragged me through store after store. I wasn't really paying attention, although I have to say several outfits she put on and showed me were enough to pull me out of my daze. (A/N: ^_^)

At about the fiftieth store, I thought I caught sight of Ax. But with my lame human eyes, I couldn't be sure.

"Hey, Rachel. Doesn't that look like Ax to you?"

"Hmm?" She replied, searching a clothes rack.
"Is. That. Ax?" I repeated, stressing each word to my best ability. Not being human for awhile tends to make you awkward using a real voice, facial expressions, and the like.

"Ax? Oh yeah, I think so."
Rolling my eyes, I pulled Rachel towards Ax.

"Tobias! Ias. Too. Bias! Tobias, Cassie and I have been looking for you. Oo. You."

"Riiiiight. So, where's Cassie?"

Ax looked around. "Um. Mmmm. Over there?" He pointed.

Rachel looked. "Cassie!" She called.

Cassie looked around, and spotting us, ran over. Slightly panting, she began to tell us something.

"I'm looking for Jake & Marco. Do you guys know where he is? Or where they are?"

"Er. No. Is it important?" Asked Rachel. "I almost found a shirt I liked. I needed to see if it fit…"

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Yes, it IS important. So, can you guys help us find them? They're not at home, or in the forest. Or in the mall. Where could they be?"

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know it could take hours to find them."

"Not with four of us. Alright, what we need to do is-" I broke off, and looked around. I ushered them towards a sparsely populated spot and finished. "We morph owls- or something that can see in the dark, like, bats, and then we spread out and search outside. If they aren't there, we start checking they're favorite places, and move on. We're only going to check out the parks that are in the town when I say 'outside'. First person who sees them calls to the others."

Cassie shrugged. "Sounds good. I suggest we do bat. It'll be easier to fly around."

"Alright. Let's get this over with."
"What about the cinna buns? Bunz. Unz."

"Later, Ax." Cassie told him. "This time I promise."

Chapter 39

Rachel

So that's what we did- we went to find him. I-WE morphed bats and went off, every five seconds or so sending off echolocation to 'see'. An etch-a-sketch for eyes, in a sense.

Bat morph may not be my favorite- it's like fly morph. Gross, but fun. Dodging, weaving in the dark. Loop-the-loops. Fun.

Right. Well, there we were- running around looking for Marco or Jake or both. Tobias was with me, and Ax was with Cassie. We had (as you noticed) changed the plan a bit- instead of being separate parties, we were groups of two.

There, ahead Rachel. To you're left.

I turned where Tobias had indicated and sent out a small blast. There it was- a park, with a bunch of trees thrown together. A grove, I think it's called.

I dived down, as if to catch an insect, and flew to the tree grove. I sent another blast and caught…Dogs? Dogs fighting? Extremely big dogs for that matter. Like, horse-sized dogs. One of them was badly beaten and bloody from long scratches, its fur torn and mangy.

And…somehow I heard voices in my head. Like thought speak, but different. And who was that? ….

MARCO! I exclaimed.

Marco looked around, though I figured he could barely see in the dark.

Tobias and I are in bat morph. We're going to get Cassie and Ax, wait here for us!

He nodded, and then turned back to where the growls and roars were coming from. And when I say roars, I mean, roars. These dogs…or whatever they were were monsters.

Tobias and I 'glided' off into the night to find Cassie.

Chapter 40

Ax

Tobias and Rachel found us just as we were going to find them, after having an unsuccessful search for Prince Jake or/and Marco.

You guys! We found Marco! Called Tobias to us. I sent out an echolocation blast and located them.

Where is he? Asked Cassie.

Follow us, Rachel replied. Every so often we sent off echolocation blasts and followed her and Tobias to the location: a park with a group of trees placed together.

There it is, Tobias said grimly.

Why so gloomy?

You'll see. He answered, in a term I believe my human friends would call mysteriously.

We flew down, outside the trees and demorphed. I moved quickly, so as not to be seen by any stray humans.

Inside the trees, I could hear some sort of snarling, roaring noise. I moved faster, fearing for Marco's life.

There, in a clearing, was a dusty cloud, with two dog-like beasts rolling it in- slashing, biting, and snarling.

"What's going on!?" Cassie asked.

"It's a long story." Said a voice behind her. Marco.

Just as he said that, the two monsters pulled apart- one bleeding, the other merely tired. It was much larger than the other one.

Are these the ones?

Asked a voice in my head. Shocked, I spun around- a human thing to do, but one I had acquired.

He reacted just like you said he would.

"I know." Marco answered with a shrug.

Rachel spun on him. "What's going on Marco? What's that voice?"

There was a gnashing of teeth, and I saw that it was one of the beasts making the noise. It bared its yellowed teeth.

That voice has a name. And I can tell you what's going on.

"No, Kari." Marco said. "Let me."

And in the growing darkness, Marco began to tell us a story.