~ In the forest~

"Nightsong, where exactly is this boy, and what are his injuries. He needs to be found as soon as possible so that his wounds can be healed."

Nightsong replied, "We do not know, Sunwalker."

"Well, send the scouts out to bring him in, and warn the healers that there is an injured child coming in."

As Nightsong left, Sunwalker placed his head in his hands. HE knew from just the brief description that anyone besides Nightsong should go, but there weren't enough scouts. He knew that Nightsong had been deeply scarred by his lover's death. He also knew that the mind healers were worried that Nightsong hadn't started to heal from the wounds of the death.

Sunwalker looked up as another scout entered the room. "Sir, the change- creatures are not replying to our envoys, and Herald Skif is here." Sunwalker nodded, and stood up and followed the scout up.

~In the forest by the plains~

Mareth stared in shock at the human cub he had found. He had no idea how the cub had called him when the cub was unconscious. Mareth curled at the boy's feet, determined to protect, because the cub had called, and he had answered.

Mareth noticed that the cub had dark hair and pale, sallow looking skin. The cub looked severely malnourished, and Mareth could see scars and bruises covering the child.

The cub started to move around. His legs were thrashing and he was crying out in a language the kyree had never heard before. All that said was that the cub wasn't from Valdemar, Karse, or one of the Hawkbrothers. The cub seemed to be crying out a name and it sounded like the poor cub was afraid for his life. :Wake up, cub, wake up!: Mareth sent to the child.

Harry woke up with a start. His whole body hurt and he thought he had heard a voice in his head, but that had to be impossible unless he was going crazy. I am probably going crazy, he thought to himself. At least, he thought he had thought it to himself. :No cub, you aren't going crazy. The voice you heard was mine. My name is Mareth and I am a kyree historian.: Harry didn't answer, to afraid of what was happening to him. First, Vernon nearly kills me, then I show up in the middle of who knows where and now there is a strange animal talking to me telepathically. My life seriously sucks.

~ In a galaxy far, far away, or not~

However, the Hawkbrothers and the kyree weren't the only ones to have heard the call. Several of the change-children had heard the call to. They were determined to snatch this powerful child and corrupt him. The strongest of the clans started to make plans on when to grab the child. They decided they would wait a couple of days before striking. "Let the child feel safe, it will make him easier to break,'' lisped a half-lizard half-human change-child.