Disclaimer: K. A. Applegate is queen. I am not. Everyone except Erilase-
Petori-Winya and the Bloyd family belongs to her.
A/N: I apologise for the terrible spelling... I've corrected myself now.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Tobias, is that you? I scanned the ground and found the skunk sniffing the air around my tree, its tiny eyes fixed on me.
No Cassie, it's just the other talking hawk visiting the neighbourhood. I replied. I hope you aren't thinking of marking my tree. I don't want to have to move. Cassie the skunk moved guiltily away from my tree. Jake the osprey soared over the forest, riding the thermals. I felt a tiny twinge of jealousy. Thermals are like the souped up version of rollercoasters. I'd much rather fly than hide in a tree.
How's Ax? Jake asked, circling.
He's nervous, but on last check, going according to plan. I replied. The plan was for Ax to hide as human, in case the other andalite spotted him first. As soon as she... Sorry, it showed, Cassie, Jake and I would distract it while Ax demorphed. Then, he'd confront the Andalite. If it was all good, Ax would drop his tail and send us a happy thought. If it was bad, Ax would just attack and yell bloodcurdlingly, prompting Rachel and Marco, both in morph, to run in and back him up.
Ax? I called.
Yes Tobias.
How are you holding up?
I am not holding anything, Tobias.
I meant to ask if you're ok.
I will be all right. He answered. I could have sworn he was lying right through his teeth. Whatever Andalites had that passed for teeth anyway.
Then why aren't you in morph? A silence. I felt like shaking my tail feathers in his face and going 'Ha! Caught you fibbing!' but that would have been childish. Ax I know you're disappointed we're not meeting your brother. So am I. But you have to get over it. He died so that we could live and carry on fighting the Yeerks. It's the most noble way to die. You should be proud of Elfangor. I watched as Ax morphed slowly into his attractive human body. It had a mix of the other Animorph's DNA. Anyone with Rachel's genes had to be attractive.
"I am proud." He said, forming his mouth. His face was sad. "But it does not make the loss less. Elfangor was a very good brother to me." I considered asking Ax to tell me more about my father now, but Jake interrupted.
There are two girls coming up from your left Tobias! Both Brunette, kind of tall.
That could be anyone! Rachel cut in.
Just get ready! Jake ordered. Ax are you prepared?
Yes, Prince Jake. Ax replied, giving me a meaningful look. I knew the conversation we just had should be as secret as the mysteries of the universe.
Hey I was just thinking, Marco piped. If Ax-man can skewer a person's head with his mighty tail, won't this other Andalite be able to do the same thing? We slowly digested this new information.
Thanks for the cold feet, cheerleader Marco. Rachel said drily.
There's no time to make another plan! Jake shouted. They're here!
Sure enough, two girls walked into the clearing and stopped by the lake. They were definitely the ones I saw yesterday. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Ax beginning to demorph. The girls were talking. Cassie crept over the grass. Jake circled slowly over them.
"Charlotte, don't be ridiculous!" The on I recognised as Erin, said. "Who would be here to watch us?" Charlotte pointed up at Jake, who quickly swerved out of their sight, afraid of discovery. "It's just an osprey." I fixed my eyes on a bare patch of grass as Erin began to pull off her sweater.
"You told me about the Yeerks. Couldn't the osprey be one of them?"
Erin laughed. To me it sounded forced. "Yeerks." She hissed. "They have no use for a bird's small brain!" A blurred movement caught my eyes. Ax had launched himself forward, seething, his tail blade raised high. He rushed towards the girls.
Ax! No! I yelled, but it was no use. The girls had seen Ax.
"Oh my God!" Charlotte screamed. Erin had a completely different reaction. She froze on the spot, mouth open wide, even as Ax continued to bear down on her. "Erin, come on!" Charlotte gripped Erin's arm and yanked her roughly out of the way. Ax missed slicing her head off by mere inches. Erin seemed almost reluctant as she and Charlotte started to sprint through the trees.
What's going on? Jake yelled.
Ax moved too fast! Cassie called, trying to demorph as fast as she coul. The girls are getting away! I watched as Ax screeched to a halt, his stalk eyes swivelling about. The girls were surprisingly fast.
Ax, control yourself! Jake ordered, Ax looked chagrined. He bolted in the opposite direction.
Ax! Cassie cried, halfway into her wolf morph.
Rachel, Marco, get Ax before he runs out of forest cover. Tobias, you're following the girls with me. Cassie, go back to the barn and wait for us to return. When Ax gets back, talk to him. I flapped my wings as hard as I could to get airborne, then joined Jake as he hurtled after the girls. A grizzly and a gorilla lumbered out in the direction of Ax. Poor Cassie had to demorph again and head back to the barn.
I focused my attention on the girls. Erin was demorphing again, even as she ran. There was only a slight pause in her strides as her front legs plopped to the ground and her hind legs shifted. In a moment she was morphing again, and I recognised the shape she was taking. There was another quick pause as Charlotte climbed onto her companion, now a beautiful chestnut horse. They galloped away, but Jake and I were masters of the sky, with the capability of flying in a constant straight line, unhindered by trees or bushes.
They went right to the edge of the forest before Charlotte dismounted and Erin demorphed. She immediately remorphed into a small animal, and Charlotte picked her up gently.
A hamster? Jake asked incredulously.
She ripped her clothes while morphing in Andalite. I reminded Jake. Hamsters mean no clothes and convenient hiding. I guess she doesn't like the cockroach morph much either.
Jake and I slowed down to match Charlotte's casual pace. She was heading towards the residential area, Hasmter Erin still cupped in her hands. She disappeared into a house on the wealthier side of town and slammed the door shut behind her. I exchanged a look with Jake.
Together, we swooped down into different bushes and began to demorph.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Tobias, is that you? I scanned the ground and found the skunk sniffing the air around my tree, its tiny eyes fixed on me.
No Cassie, it's just the other talking hawk visiting the neighbourhood. I replied. I hope you aren't thinking of marking my tree. I don't want to have to move. Cassie the skunk moved guiltily away from my tree. Jake the osprey soared over the forest, riding the thermals. I felt a tiny twinge of jealousy. Thermals are like the souped up version of rollercoasters. I'd much rather fly than hide in a tree.
How's Ax? Jake asked, circling.
He's nervous, but on last check, going according to plan. I replied. The plan was for Ax to hide as human, in case the other andalite spotted him first. As soon as she... Sorry, it showed, Cassie, Jake and I would distract it while Ax demorphed. Then, he'd confront the Andalite. If it was all good, Ax would drop his tail and send us a happy thought. If it was bad, Ax would just attack and yell bloodcurdlingly, prompting Rachel and Marco, both in morph, to run in and back him up.
Ax? I called.
Yes Tobias.
How are you holding up?
I am not holding anything, Tobias.
I meant to ask if you're ok.
I will be all right. He answered. I could have sworn he was lying right through his teeth. Whatever Andalites had that passed for teeth anyway.
Then why aren't you in morph? A silence. I felt like shaking my tail feathers in his face and going 'Ha! Caught you fibbing!' but that would have been childish. Ax I know you're disappointed we're not meeting your brother. So am I. But you have to get over it. He died so that we could live and carry on fighting the Yeerks. It's the most noble way to die. You should be proud of Elfangor. I watched as Ax morphed slowly into his attractive human body. It had a mix of the other Animorph's DNA. Anyone with Rachel's genes had to be attractive.
"I am proud." He said, forming his mouth. His face was sad. "But it does not make the loss less. Elfangor was a very good brother to me." I considered asking Ax to tell me more about my father now, but Jake interrupted.
There are two girls coming up from your left Tobias! Both Brunette, kind of tall.
That could be anyone! Rachel cut in.
Just get ready! Jake ordered. Ax are you prepared?
Yes, Prince Jake. Ax replied, giving me a meaningful look. I knew the conversation we just had should be as secret as the mysteries of the universe.
Hey I was just thinking, Marco piped. If Ax-man can skewer a person's head with his mighty tail, won't this other Andalite be able to do the same thing? We slowly digested this new information.
Thanks for the cold feet, cheerleader Marco. Rachel said drily.
There's no time to make another plan! Jake shouted. They're here!
Sure enough, two girls walked into the clearing and stopped by the lake. They were definitely the ones I saw yesterday. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Ax beginning to demorph. The girls were talking. Cassie crept over the grass. Jake circled slowly over them.
"Charlotte, don't be ridiculous!" The on I recognised as Erin, said. "Who would be here to watch us?" Charlotte pointed up at Jake, who quickly swerved out of their sight, afraid of discovery. "It's just an osprey." I fixed my eyes on a bare patch of grass as Erin began to pull off her sweater.
"You told me about the Yeerks. Couldn't the osprey be one of them?"
Erin laughed. To me it sounded forced. "Yeerks." She hissed. "They have no use for a bird's small brain!" A blurred movement caught my eyes. Ax had launched himself forward, seething, his tail blade raised high. He rushed towards the girls.
Ax! No! I yelled, but it was no use. The girls had seen Ax.
"Oh my God!" Charlotte screamed. Erin had a completely different reaction. She froze on the spot, mouth open wide, even as Ax continued to bear down on her. "Erin, come on!" Charlotte gripped Erin's arm and yanked her roughly out of the way. Ax missed slicing her head off by mere inches. Erin seemed almost reluctant as she and Charlotte started to sprint through the trees.
What's going on? Jake yelled.
Ax moved too fast! Cassie called, trying to demorph as fast as she coul. The girls are getting away! I watched as Ax screeched to a halt, his stalk eyes swivelling about. The girls were surprisingly fast.
Ax, control yourself! Jake ordered, Ax looked chagrined. He bolted in the opposite direction.
Ax! Cassie cried, halfway into her wolf morph.
Rachel, Marco, get Ax before he runs out of forest cover. Tobias, you're following the girls with me. Cassie, go back to the barn and wait for us to return. When Ax gets back, talk to him. I flapped my wings as hard as I could to get airborne, then joined Jake as he hurtled after the girls. A grizzly and a gorilla lumbered out in the direction of Ax. Poor Cassie had to demorph again and head back to the barn.
I focused my attention on the girls. Erin was demorphing again, even as she ran. There was only a slight pause in her strides as her front legs plopped to the ground and her hind legs shifted. In a moment she was morphing again, and I recognised the shape she was taking. There was another quick pause as Charlotte climbed onto her companion, now a beautiful chestnut horse. They galloped away, but Jake and I were masters of the sky, with the capability of flying in a constant straight line, unhindered by trees or bushes.
They went right to the edge of the forest before Charlotte dismounted and Erin demorphed. She immediately remorphed into a small animal, and Charlotte picked her up gently.
A hamster? Jake asked incredulously.
She ripped her clothes while morphing in Andalite. I reminded Jake. Hamsters mean no clothes and convenient hiding. I guess she doesn't like the cockroach morph much either.
Jake and I slowed down to match Charlotte's casual pace. She was heading towards the residential area, Hasmter Erin still cupped in her hands. She disappeared into a house on the wealthier side of town and slammed the door shut behind her. I exchanged a look with Jake.
Together, we swooped down into different bushes and began to demorph.