Author: Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Um, do you really need one of these? I don't own it, not a thing, except for maybe the basis of my story, but that's it and I'm making no money on this, though I wish I was….darn!

Rating : Nothing to bad.

A/N : I don't think a whole lot will be changed in this chapter either, we'll have to wait and see.

Ok, on to the story, hope you enjoy…

THE MIGHTY DUCKS IN :

HISTORY REVEALED

Chapter 2 : The Offer's Made

Wildwing woke up to pounding on his bedroom door. What the hell? He though as he swung his legs out over the side of the bed. He looked over at the alarm clock, 3:30 in the morning! He silently screamed in his mind, fully intent on giving one hell of a tongue lashing to whoever had woken him up this early. This had better be damn important for someone to be waking me up this early in the damn morning! He thought grumpily. He looked over at Nosedive, who was asleep on the other side of the room, his little brother didn't so much as stir. Kid could sleep through an earthquake, Wildwing thought. He threw his bathrobe on, not knowing if it was one of the girls or one of the other guys ,on the other side of that door. Better to be safe than sorry, he thought.

He pushed the button to open the door, it silently and swiftly glided across its track and Wildwing was greeted by Tanya's worried face, once the door had fully opened. Her purple-tinted glasses were sliding down her bill, and her hair was all mussed up like she had just hurried and threw her usual purple jumpsuit on and quickly put her hair up it the ever present ponytail. "Wildwing!" She said, her breath coming in uneven, shallow gasps. The nasaliness was even more pronounced now than it usually was. "Good, it's you."

Wildwing looked curiously at her, "Who else would it be?" He asked as he stepped back and motioned for her to come in.

She bashfully walked past him, her eyes quickly surveying the surroundings. She looked at each wall, the beds, the dressers and closets. Her eyes skimmed over the door leading to Wildwing's and Nosedive's personal shower. Her eyes came to rest on the youngest member of the team still asleep in his warm, comfortable bed. "Um…Wildwing?" She asked as she glanced curiously up at her leader, then quickly looked in Nosedive's direction.

"It's alright," Wing said and looked over at where Nosedive still slept soundly, then he turned his attention back to Tanya and took a quick seat on his bed. "He won't wake up, believe me. This place could be hit by an earthquake and it won't shake his butt outta bed." He sighed and motioned for Tanya to take a seat next to him on the bed. "What's got you up this early?" And it had better be good, Wing thought but didn't voice the thought.

Tanya sat down on the bed, her back and posture remained ramrod straight, like she was really, really nervous. Wildwing turned to face her, the movement bringing him just a bit closer to her then he'd been when she had sat down and she quickly moved over a few more inches, putting more distance between herself and her team captain. Wildwing chuckled, "I won't bite, don't worry."

Tanya blushed, "It's not…um, nyat-er, that. It's jus-s-st…well, um…s-s-see-s…" She paused, unable to meet Wildwing's eyes.

"What's up Tanya?" Wildwing asked, turning so that he faced her fully. "It's ok, just go ahead and tell me what ever it is that's bothering you. You know you can tell me anything." He said, Just as long as you don't tell me that you're secretly in love with me…I see the way you look at Duke, not to mention the way he looks at you. He thought, a smile creeping across his beak.

"It's a-about M-Mallory." Tanya said, her voice breaking even more than usual.

"What about her?" Wildwing asked, his heart doing a sudden lurch up into his throat. "Is she alright?"

"Um, well…th-that's just it. I-I d-don't know." Tanya stuttered. "Sh-she's not in our r-room. I c-can't seem to f-find her a-an-anywhere. It's j-just like she d-dis oh, is gone." Tanya quickly got up and started pacing across Wing's and Dive's floor.

"Whoa, just calm down Tawny, I'm sure she's got to be somewhere in the base or up in the rink, somewhere around here at least. You did check upstairs?" Wildwing asked, grabbing at straws. Mal just has to be here, where would she go? She wouldn't go anywhere with out telling someone, at least not this early in the morning. The Mall's not opened yet…so where would she go?

"Y-yeah, I l-looked upstairs. S-she's not there." Tanya sat back down on the bed and nervously looked at Wildwing. He was thinking, his beak rested in the palm of his hand. "Um, Wing?" He looked at her, his eyes boring into hers. "Mal d-did a lot of t-times s-sneak out at n-night."

"WHAT?!" He almost exploded. Dive moved in his bed and mumbled something about fifteen more minutes then he'd get up. "What do you mean she'd sneak out at night? Where to? Why didn't you ever tell anybody?" He asked, his voice lowered to a whisper.

"W-well, I-I always th-thought she w-was coming t-to see y-you." Tanya stuttered, worse than ever. Wildwing was really starting to make her nervous. I guess he really does have feelings for Mallory, to bad she won't listen to me and ask him out sometime or something, Tanya thought to herself.

"Me? Why me?" He asked, incredulous. He blushed slightly before turning his head away from her, his beak once more rested against the palm of his hand.

Ah-ha! Tanya thought, I saw that! I knew I was right! Why can't you two just admit it and get it over with already, instead of being so stubborn? Why can't you just say you like each other? "I just thought, w-well, that s-something…" she paused and tried to gather her wits about her. "Oh, never m-mind, I don't k-know! P-point is she's m-missing, and I d-don't know where she c-could be at!"

"Right," Wildwing said, he looked over toward his younger brother. "Sound a code red, I want everyone in the control room in five minutes. Try to see if you can locate her comm signal, we'll start there, see what we got, then we'll figure out where to go from there if nothing comes up."

Tanya nodded her head and dashed out of the room.

*****

Mallory slowly woke up, her head feeling like a thousand Saurian troops had been using her for their marching grounds. Her arms were tied behind her back, and her ankles were bound together. She tried opening her mouth only to find that someone had taped her beak shut too. Shit!! She swore silently and looked around the cell she was being held in. Typical Saurian holding cell, she thought, her eyes wondering around the small cramped room.

Such language for a lady? And no, this is not a typical Saurian holding cell, for you are not a typical Saurian captive. A voice said, she whipped her head around, trying to find the speaker. She saw no one.

What the hell? She thought to herself. Am I going insane now too?

Not at all, the same voice said calmly in her mind.

Who the hell? Show yourself! The question echoed within her own mind. She glanced nervously around when there was no answer and no one showed themselves. Great, she thought. I'm going nuts and hearing voices now. What the hell am I doing?! Great, I'm talking to myself now too, this is just great, really great. I am going crazy, that has to be it! Or maybe it was that pizza I ate before going to bed. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that last slice of pizza last night. The tape binding her mouth shut suddenly dropped to the floor at her feet. Her eyes widened as she glanced down at the offending piece of gray tape. What the hell is going on here?

Pizza has nothing to do with it. The voice said calmly in her mind once more.

"Who the hell are you and show yourself, would you?!" Mal yelled at the top of her lungs. She flexed her jaws, and felt her jaw muscles pop.

A duck, just a hair shorter than Wildwing, stepped out of the shadows. He was dark black with evil red eyes, his feathers looked like the ends were tipped with a crimson coloring. His red eyes bored into Mal's, she was forced to look away from his menacing glare. He was broadly built, his arms and legs well muscled. He looked like he could take Wildwing or Grin down with no problem. He stood before her clothed in a dark blue cloak embroidered with blood red moons. The hood on it drooped over his face, but didn't hide it from sight, Boy, I wish it did. Mal thought to herself.

He grinned evilly at her, his red eyes lazily caressing her body. Mal shuddered, her stomach suddenly felt like it was going to heave all of it's contents on the floor of the cell. "How in the hell did I get here?" Mallory asked as she tried to get her mind off of the evil thing leering at her. Her eyes wondered around the three-walled cell. The fourth wall was made of energy bars, pretty but deadly. Energy burns weren't the prettiest things to behold and she didn't feel like taking a risk with the crackling arcs of electricity.

I brought you here, his answer formed in her mind.

"How the hell did you do that, no one should've been able to get into the pond. You would've needed the clearance codes to make it past the security doors and other defense mechanisms. Tanya had it equipped with the very latest in security measures, you shouldn't have been able to get in, not at all!"

It wasn't that hard to get by your primitive defenses. He sneered, leering even more evilly down at her. Your friend forgot to take into account magic.

"No, she didn't. She had shields set up that would repel Saurian magic."

Ha, ha, ha…so very damn funny, the evil creature laughed, coming up to the bars of the cell, the electrical energy didn't seem to phase him. She took into account Saurian magic, did she ever consider Puckworldian magic?

Mallory's eyes widened in disbelief, and possibly disgust. It just can't be…no, it's just not possible. Your all suppose to be dead. They took care of all of you a long time ago…it just isn't possible. The thoughts ran through her mind, she didn't speak them yet the sinister duck still answered her unspoken thoughts.

I'm here, aren't I? Apparently all things are possible. The evil duck snickered. I was hoping that I'd catch you first.

Oh? And why is that? Mallory shot back, her eyes narrowing. She continued to thoughtcast.

I know who you are Mallory McMallard. Or should I say, I know what you are?

Her eyes narrowed even more. And what is it you think I am? She thoughtcast in a deadly tone.

A Puckworldian Sorceress, I know it ran through your family's blood quite strongly. It grew stronger with each generation, occasionally skipping one or two generations. I thought it had skipped you, but now I'm not so sure, I can feel the power pulsing just beneath the surface. I think that you may be perhaps, the strongest of your line.

"I don't know what your talking about." Mallory said, glaring daggers at the evil duck.

Oh, you don't?

Mallory shook her head, really having no clue as to what the lunatic was talking about.

Your first mistake was answering me. If you didn't possess the magic than you wouldn't be able to hear me, let alone respond to what I'm saying. And second, I can feel it coursing through your blood. I can feel it radiating off of you.

Who in the hell are you? Mallory asked, struggling with the ropes that tied her wrists together. If only I can loosen these slightly then I might be able to get free.

You have a lot to learn Flaming Bird, I can hear all of your thoughts, just as you can hear mine. He chuckled softly in his throat, As for my name, I am called Nightshade, Priest of the Delkta-triad. Your friend Dragaunus brought me here from the Dark Realm in hopes that I could help him in defeating you ducks. Never in my wildest dreams, or his for that matter, had either of us thought that one of you lowsy do-gooders would be a magius. What a surprise it was when I learned that one of you possessed quite a significant amount of magickal energy.

Sorry to disappoint you Nightshade, but I think you have the wrong duck. No one in my family knew or knows how to do anything that involves using magick, not even remotely near that notion for that matter. Mallory thought as she still worked on trying to loosen the bindings on her wrists. And besides which, all magick-users on Puckworld were either destroyed or banished to the dark realms, so there wouldn't be another catastrophe like the last one your kind had created.

They hid it from you! It was not so much a question as it was a surprised statement.

Hid what? Mallory was baffled by the statement, no one had ever hid anything from her in her life, not even the death of her mother during her birth, something Mallory till this day blamed herself for.

Your family's affinity for magick…they hid it from you. You know nothing of your skill or what you could become. You were never told of your gift.

My family has no affinity for magick or anything else so horrible!

Your mother's side was greatly gifted…it must have scared someone greatly so they hid it from you, maybe to protect you. I have to think on this, I maybe able to use it somehow to my advantage…His voice trailed off as if he were thinking to himself. Could those on Puckworld have come to fear those with the gift of magick so greatly that the magius would hide their gifts? Is it at all possible?

My family knows nothing of magick, I know nothing of magick nor do I have a gift of any kind, great or small for it!

Oh, don't sell yourself short Flaming Bird, you will surprise even yourself. I can teach you how to use your powers. I can show you the potentials of your gift!

I have no gift! Nothing at all, don't you understand me?! And if I did, I would not want to learn anything that had to do with something so awful! Do you understand that?!

With your gifts Flaming Bird, you could destroy Dragaunus with a mere thought, you could take you and your friends home, all you have to do is learn the ancient Puckworldian Art of Magius. Think about it. With that said, the evil shadow that cloaked the Priest Nightshade disappeared and Mallory wondered if she was truly alone this time or was he still hiding somewhere in the shadows, just waiting for the opportunity to pounce on her raw emotions.

*****

Wildwing and Nosedive were the last to make it into the control room, Tanya was already sitting at Drake 1's control panels, punching in series of different sequences of numbers. With each series of numbers a different screen would show up on Drake 1's main computer screen, but there was no activity on any of the screens. Wildwing glanced at the rest of the assembled Ducks. "What have you got for me Tanya? Have you found her yet?"

Tanya punched in another sequence of numbers and the picture on the screen changed one more time, this time a bright red dot blinked on the screen. "I uh, found her comm signal." Tanya said, her stuttering under control now. "She's still here in the, uh the pond." Tanya said as she turned around to face Wildwing. "Uh, she's actually up in the, uh rink, at least according to Drake 1."

"Good. Tanya, I want you to stay down here with Drake 1 and tell me how close I'm getting to her comm signal. I'm gonna go up and try and find her." Wildwing said and rushed out of the control room.

"Boy," Tanya breathed, "This is, uh proving to be an interesting morning already." She said as she watched the blip on the screen that represented Wildwing. It moved up through the levels of the secret base until it finally reached the uppermost level, the Hockey Rink. Now the two blips were only mere centimeters apart. She flipped the comm toggle. "Um, Wildwing, you should be right on top of her now."

There came a sound over the comm, that could only be described as a scuffle, then Wildwing gently swearing. "It's only her comm unit." He said, "I'm not liking this one bit. Something's happened here and we're going to get to the bottom of it. I'm on my way down, better come up with some other ideas as to how we can find her."

A few moments later Wildwing walked through the control room doors. "Well?" He asked as he looked at each one of the team members individually. "Anyone come up with any ideas at all?"

Tanya cleared her throat, all eyes turned toward her. "I'm thinking! Believe me, I'm thinking!"

Wildwing shifted his eyes back to the rest of the team. "Well, have the rest of you thought of anything?" He looked at Duke, the older drake wouldn't meet his gaze, just kept avoiding it. Grin stood like a statue, his mind deep in thought. Nosedive was staring up at the ceiling, acting like his mind was a million light years away. "Anything at all?"

"I say it smells of Draggy!" Nosedive hissed. "This is just like something he would do. Capture one of us to send the rest of us into turmoil."

"I think I have away, why I didn't uh, think of it earlier is like beyond me." Tanya said, swinging around in her chair to look at Wildwing. His facial expression told her to go on. "Well, ya see, I've um, been working on these new rocket skates, they kinda ya know go from ice blades to skates for regular…" she quite talking for a second, pausing from the glare she was getting from Wildwing. "Um, well, you see they have a built in homing beacon in them. You know, just in case something like this was ever to happen. If Mal borrowed them from my lab, like I know she's been wanting too, then well, I can use the beacon to find out where she is."

"Alright Tanya!" Nosedive crowed. "Score one for Tawny!"

"Nosedive would you mind keeping it quiet just for a little bit while Tanya runs this scan?" Wildwing asked as he rested his hands on the back of Tanya's chair. His eyes were glued to the computer screen.

Tanya begun to punch in a few more codes, the screen flashed quickly, the diagrams on the computer screen turned into a blueprint of the secret base. Five red dots began to steadily blink, "The skates are still here," Tanya says. "They're still…um wait a minute!"

"What is it Tanya?" Wildwing asked as he took a closer look at the computer screen.

"One of the skates is missing. There is only five pairs in my lab. Mallory must've taken the sixth pair!" Tanya pushed another button on Drake 1's main control panel, the screen changed once more, this time it showed a map of Anaheim. A solitary red dot began to blink, "That's got to be Mal!" Tanya said excitedly.

"Tanya, I want you to stay here again, the others and I are gonna go and look for her. I want you to tell me if that dot starts moving or if anything strange seems to happen." Wildwing said. Tanya nodded her head yes in understanding. "The rest of you Ducks to the Migrator, we've got a teammate to find!" Tanya watched as Wildwing, Nosedive, Duke and even Grin all ran from the room.

"Left here again, all by my lonesome," she sighed to herself.

*****

The Migrator stopped just outside of what looked like a turn of the century farmhouse. Wildwing was the first one out, he stopped just outside of the Migrator and stared up at the farmhouse, Something's just not right here, he thought to himself. Touching both sides of the mask, he scanned the old building. His eyes narrowed as Duke stopped next to him, "Whachya see Wing?" Duke asked as he noticed the look on his leader's face, beneath the Mask.

"Trouble," Wildwing said, "It's the Raptor."

"I told you this whole thing smelled of Lizard Lips!" Nosedive said, his voice rose with his excitement.

"Yeesh," Duke said as he put a hand on Dive's shoulder, "Calm down kid, your tiring me out just watching you bounce around with that excitement of yours."

"What are we gonna do? Just stand here and gawk up at the Raptor or are we gonna storm it?" Dive asked, his voice grew that much more excited.

"We don't know what they're doing to Mallory, let alone why they caught her." Wildwing said as he studied the Raptor with the Mask. Something just didn't feel right here.

"I say we just blast our way in!" Dive said as he started for the cloaked Raptor. "Here we come Draggy, ready or not!" He shouted as he started to fire exploding pucks at the 'old farmhouse'.

"Nosedive, NO!!!" Wildwing yelled as he ran after his impulsive younger brother. Suddenly the cloak of the old farmhouse disintergrated and the Raptor stood in all it's evil glory there in front of the ducks. Lazer fire shot down from the Raptor, as it tried to reroute the attacking ducks.

"Enough of this!" Wildwing shouted as he blasted a hole in the side of the Raptor. "Come on Ducks!" He yelled as he dove into the interior of the Raptor, the rest of the Ducks weren't far behind.

*****

Mallory jumped as the warning claxons began their loud blaring, almost braking her eardrums. I wonder if Wildwing and the others have found out I'm missing yet…I hope they get here soon, that Nightshade is really starting to scare me! She glanced toward the door that lead out of the cell block. She swore she could see his glowing red eyes in the shadows, watching her. Admit it though, his offer is tempting, a little voice said in the back of her mind. It is not! She screamed back at it, Magick has not been seen on Puckworld for countless generations…because of Mages like him. Even if I was inclined to believe his story, I would never learn a thing from him, he's evil.

Admit though, it's a tempting offer…the voice continued.

It is not! Mallory shouted, Now just shut up and let me alone would you?!

It appears your friends have finally made it, Nightshade appeared from the shadows. I was wondering how long it would take them…I figured they would be here a lot sooner than this. Your team leader must not be very bright.

If I could get out of this cage, I'd kill you right now with my bare hands! Mallory growled. I suggest you take that back about Wildwing right now, or if, no, when I do get out of this cell, I will personally rip your head off and feed it to you!

Touche aren't we? Is this Wildwing something to you? More than just your team leader perhaps. I thought it was against Military Code to get involved with a Superior Officer. At least it was in my time, I don't know about yours.

I swear once I get out of here I'm gonna kill you with my own bare hands! You hear me?

Yeah, I hear you, kinda hard not to when your yelling like that. He slunk out of the shadows and walked up to the cell bars and looked in at the female duck sitting on her tail feathers on the floor. I can teach you everything you'll ever need to know Flaming Bird, if you'd just let me. I could be your Master. The thought entered her mind.

I really do not see that happening, Mallory hissed as she gritted her teeth together. The evil Magius stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. Is he still here or did he teleport out of here? Mallory wondered.

I'm still here Flaming Bird, just in another part of the ship, that's all. Remember my offer, I can teach you everything, you could have anything your heart desires…

You wish! Mallory spit back. Suddenly one of Draguanus' fighter drones entered the room and took up a sentry position at the door, it's gun pointed ahead, toward the doorway as if it waited for someone to attempt to try and come through the door.

A puck ricocheted off of the doorframe and struck the drone in what could only be called its chest. The drone blew up and sent pieces of melted metal flying toward Mallory. She blinked and tried to hide her face from the explosion. No such luck, she thought as she felt a piece of hot shrapnel hit her in the side of her face. Ouch!

Wildwing walked through the door and glanced around as he tried to find Mallory. "Mallory, stand back, I'm gonna blast the door." He said once he looked in the cell at her. He fired an exploding puck at the control panel for the cell door and Mallory watched as the electrical energy bars disappeared and the area surrounding the door disintergrated in a debris of smoke and rock shrapnel. Wing rushed into the cell and quickly cut the ropes from her feet and wrists.

"Thanks Wing!" Mal said as she looked up into his eyes behind the mask.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Wing said as he helped Mal to her feet. Wearily, he looked out of the doorway and checked both ways to make sure that there weren't going to be any more surprise attacks, he motioned for Mallory to follow him. Duke fell into step behind them, Mal had no idea where he came from. Up ahead she caught site of Nosedive and Grin.

Wildwing started to push her out the hole he had created when she suddenly froze. MALLORY!!! She heard the name echo through her mind. She whirled around and tried to figure out where he was at. She couldn't find him, couldn't see him, he was hiding somewhere in the shadows, but she could feel him as he watched her every move. I could teach you everything, you could have anything beyond your wildest dreams. Just stay here and let me teach you. Put you special gift to use Mallory.

Mallory stared for a few more seconds in the direction he was standing, or at least from the direction his mind-thoughts had come from. Not on your life!

A lazer bolt shot past her head and struck the wall behind her. Mallory turned and cringed. "Watch where you fire those things at, would you? Your gonna hurt somebody!" She yelled as Siege and Chameleon came around the corner.

"That's the idea!" Siege growled. "I was gonna have roast duck for dinner, but it looks like you got out of your cage." He took aim again as he readied to fire at her once more. "Charboiled duck doesn't sound half bad so why don't you hold still so I can get a good bead on you?"

"Not on your life you Saurian slime!" Mallory yelled back as she grabbed for her puck blaster and belatedly realized it wasn't there anymore. One was suddenly shoved into her grip and she looked over and met Wildwing's eyes. She nodded her thanks and took aim on Siege and shot. The Saurian moved out of her range of fire. Lucky for you I guess, she thought malevolently and glared at the Saurian.

She heard Wildwing order everyone to retreat and she started to fall back, Wildwing followed just behind her. Mallory, think about it…she heard his voice again, echoing in her head. You can have anything you want…anyone you want.

That made her stop for a second time and turn around and face the traitorous duck…Anyone I want? She echoed, the thought spiraled around in her mind. Anyone I want…? Do I really have the gift of magick? She saw him just barely nod his head in the affirmative. She felt someone grab hold of her, she turned to look at Duke, he was saying something and pointing toward the hole Wildwing had blown in the side of the Raptor. She nodded her head and turned once more to look back at the evil Magius Duck. He was gone already.

It was in that time span that time actually seemed to stand still, she heard a hiss of breath escape from Duke, his one good eye turned toward her, the look filled with pain. She frantically looked for Wildwing, he was trying to drag his little brother out through the hole but the younger duck was fighting the whole way. That's when she say the stray sphere of light angled toward Wildwing and Nosedive. Nosedive took the blast full in the chest, he screamed out in pain and collapsed on the floor.

Duke grabbed hold of Mallory by the back of her shielding and pulled her toward the hole. Wildwing and Grin were both trying to carry the unconscious Nosedive through the small opening. She turned wearily and followed her teammates towards the Migrator. She knew she was going to get it this time, there was no doubt about it.

*****

Tanya was checking on the two ducks vitals for what was probably the hundredth time since they had been brought in. She looked down at each of the Medcom beds controls, trying to find anything that would show that either one of the injured ducks were showing any sign of recovery. Duke's vitals were slowly coming up out of the red zone, he was just starting to stabilize, How did you manage to stay conscious long enough to get out of the Raptor? She wondered as she looked down at Duke.

She turned her attention to Nosedive, he wasn't fairing much better, actually he was far worse. He had quit breathing on his way to the pond, and no sooner had they gotten him in on the Medcom bed, his heart had stopped beating. Wildwing was outside of the infirmary right now, talking to Mallory. Tanya pitied the only other female duck of the team.

Wildwing was glaring at Mallory, "Wanna tell me what happened back there?" He asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He leaned back against the wall and waited to hear the female duck's explanation.

She glared right back at him but didn't give up any ground. Her arms laid loosely by her sides, "I don't know," she stated, but she was unable to meet his eyes then.

He was in her face suddenly, "The hell you don't know! Dive and Duke are in the infirmary right now because you 'don't know'! You'd better come up with one heck of a better excuse than that!" His arms had fell to his sides too, his hands were clenched, his knuckles turning even whiter than they already were.

"It's not my fault they're there." Mal hissed and backed up a step from Wildwing. "I didn't shoot them, what do you think I am? A traitor or something?" She said hotheaded.

"That's a good question." Wing said and regarded her strangely. "I don't understand how they got into the pond in the first place," he said as he rubbed the bottom of his beak. "There's no way they should've been able to get through the defenses Tanya's put up around this place."

"What are you saying?" Mal asked, her voice had suddenly gone very low and very soft.

"Did you help them orchestrate your own capture?" Wildwing asked and held his breath as he dreaded the answer.

Mallory stared aghast at him and her eyes suddenly narrowed. "I can't believe you'd ask me such a thing," she said as she stepped up to him so they were beak to beak. "What, you think I'm working for the Saurian's now?"

"I don't know, you tell me." Wildwing said and looked angrily down at her.

She just glared at him even more, then he said something that she'd never thought she'd hear come out of his mouth. "Your benched until further notice, and I want someone with you at all times. I mean all times, you don't go anywhere without telling someone where your going and when you'll be back."

"I can't believe you just did that!" Mallory said. The argument grew heated, things were thrown back and forth, things that shouldn't have been said but were, and would never be able to be taken back. Mal grew angrier by the second, until she had no idea how she did it, but Wildwing was getting into her face once more and with a simple flick of her wrist, she sent him flying across the room. She watched dumbfounded as her leader slid down the wall to the floor and sat there not moving.

Mal quickly flipped on her comm unit, "Tanya, you'd better get out here, Wing's out cold." After a brief question and answer session with the other female duck, Mal shut the comm unit and turned to regard Wildwing. She squatted down next to him and looked at his face. She put a hand up to his cheek and softly caressed it. A tear slipped down from her eye, trailing a sparkling coarse down over her feathered cheek, "I'm sorry Wing," she said as her voice broke. She gently kissed him on the side of his beak, then turned from him and dashed out of the area and fled from the headquarters.

Is it possible, she wondered as she was running from the pond, that I actually do have magickal abilities? What will the others think if it is true? We were raised to fear those with magickal abilities, will they turn from me if they find out? Or will they be able to accept me for who I am?

Well, let me know what you think of the revised story…it's turned out a little different, but not much. I decided that the others didn't react to Mal's secret quite the way I wanted them too, they accepted it way to easily. Things had to be a little more difficult for her then what they actually were.