Twisted Tortallian Tale

by crosseyedbutterfly

Me and some pals get sucked into Tortal, but why?? *Chapters 1-11 reloaded with errors fixed. Others will be shortly!*

25.

I just filled my second floppy disk this fic it so long...thank you Brenna for putting it all on a CD for me!! Now, where was I? Oh yeah, welcome back to ATTT, one of the few decent (or at least I'm told so) self-insertion fic on ff.net. Things are picking up again, and will only go faster as our pals go charging into their next set of adventures. Read on and enjoy the ride!!

BTW: Once more this &&&&&&&& means a dream sequence of some sort.

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Scanrans......all around her....couldn't break free...

Liz....the name rung loudly in her head...echoing all around....who was that again....?

....her sister....

That's who she had to find....Elizabeth.....where was she? Run, search, fight... ..the same thing, never ending but constantly changing....or was it?

Smoky sky....rain clouds....pouring on them, blinding her vision.....who was running along beside her?

Friend?

Foe?

She could not tell, so she continued to run.....

No more ground...

Just pure sky....

Falling....

Writhing in air...

The ground in the distance below her .........coming ever closer...

Then everything going black..................

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Amanda fell out of the bed she was in, landing on the floor on her bad shoulder and biting her lip so hard it bled to keep back the scream that threatened to burst out from her throat. Disoriented, she fumbled around in the sheets some until she managed to free herself from the sheets that had bound her and sat on the bed, looking around the small room.

Her wrist throbbed as she tried to move it around. Shoot, she probably sprained it while trying to catch herself after she hit the ground. Taking some cloth from the sheet, she tore it with her teeth and her other hand and bound it up, splinting it up for the time being as best as she could.

Where was she? At the fief, by the look out the window, but where in the fief? Her wounds cried out from the constant movement as she forced herself to stand, almost falling as her leg gave out from under her and grabbing a staff nearby to support herself.

Shivering in the darkness from a draft, she realized she wasn't wearing any pants and her shirt was spotted with blood from her wounds breaking open once more. Seeing a set of drawers, she went over and found some pants and a fresh shirt. They were too big for her, but smelled familiar. Who's were they?

Ignoring the question for a second, she wrapped the slightly bloodied shirt around the base of the staff to muffle it's sound and made her way to the door. Opening it silently, she made her out way to the stairs that were near by, orienting herself from there.

The servants wing, which was on the ground floor. Grandfather's room? No, it was the one right there beside her. Then who? Her head hurt too much to even consider it right about then so she stumped on forward, taking her time and sitting to rest on the stairs every now and then.

It was a lot farther than she remembered, using only the moonlight to guide her steps and at times walking along in total darkness until she reached the third level, a feeling  of familiar-ness over coming her senses. This was her area, with Liz's room right there and Alyse's right next to it. She bypassed her own room and went to her Study, too awake to even think of sleeping at that point.

The door was open and a light was on, much to her surprise, and she crept in far enough to see Levi standing by the windows before he noticed her, eyes widening in shock.

"You shouldn't be out of bed!" he scolded like he might a young child. "Go back to my- wait. That's too far, you shouldn't have walked all the up here, Amanda, you're still not well enough to be-"

"Drop it," cut in Amanda, shaking her head as she did. She spotted the chess table and went over to it, quickly putting the pieces out as she did. "Come on, I'll play you since we haven't in awhile."

Levi smiled, shaking his head as he did. "You're right, you've been stuck in bed so we couldn't."

"No," countered Amanda quickly, easing herself onto the couch. "We could've, but Libby wouldn't let you bring the chess board into play, remember?"

"Oh yeah, right." Levi went and sat across from her, a smile on his face as she made her first move. "Wait a second," he said suddenly, getting up and touching the collar of the shirt she was wearing. "Is that my shirt....??"

"I don't know," admitted Amanda with a shrug. "Oh yeah, that's right, I'm in your room, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you are."

"I woke up all disoriented from this dream and put on the first things I could find to be decent for walking around the house."

"Oh, I see."

They continued to play silently throughout the night, Levi holding his head in his hand while waiting for her to make her move when he realized she wasn't moving. "Amanda?" Nothing.

He got up and checked her pulse, and found her to be alive and breathing, only asleep slumped over the board. Gently pulling her back until she was leaning back against the couch, he pulled a blanket over her and went over to the other couch near by, curling up by himself there as the fire burned to ashes and a quiet darkness settled over the room.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby briskly walked down the halls of the mansion, making her way to the main study where she had left her bag the other night. The door was open, and she peeked in slowly to make sure that Levi was decent before opening it the rest of the way and slipping in quietly incase he was still asleep.

There he was, leaning over the couch he didn't sleep in while trying to shake someone awake who had familiar brown hair and tan skin as well... "Amanda?!" cried Libby, rushing over to the couch quickly. "What in the world are you doing up here?! You're still supposed to be staying on the ground floor and- what did you do to your wrist!!"

"Ah, hush," sighed Amanda, standing up slowly as she rolled her eyes.

"No," said Libby firmly, putting her arm around Amanda's waist and Amanda's arm over her shoulders. "You're coming with me right back down to your room, you understand?? I don't want you coming out of that room again until I say you can, you understand me??"

"Hey, I'm the head of this fief and I will not be cooped up in that small hole any longer!!" protested Amanda. "No offense, Levi, it's a nice room, but I want to be able to live in more than one room since I own this entire mansion!!"

"You're going to over exert yourself, and then you won't ever get better!"

"If you'd just heal me I wouldn't have this problem!!"

"You need to learn to live up to the consequences of your actions!"

"Just heal me and be done with it, Lib!"

"No, you're going to heal on your own and that is that!"

"Alright, fine, whatever, but I swear if you keep me in that room, for more than one more day I'll get my sword and just kill you and me done with it!"

"You can't do that," said Artman, appearing out of nowhere. "Because then I'd become the legal father of her bunnies and I'd have to kill them all and make bunny stew of them and then explode from eating it all and run around dancing  in bunny skins and-"

*THWAP*

"Baka," said Libby, leaving the spiraled eyed Artman behind them as she put her large leather glove back in her pocket somewhere and continued to drag Amanda down the hall. "Anyways, where was I? Oh yes..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse held Ronnie in her lap as they galloped down the road, two guards with her close behind as she made her way down the path to Lady Hope's fief that was now being rebuilt.

The lady and her husband had both been completely healed by Libby the moment she had been able to restore her power and sent on their way with their son, Amanda still being out at the time and wasn't able to say goodbye to them. With a set of guards from the Lynx mountain, the remaining villagers who had survived and were taken out of the prison camp, and some soldiers provided by the King, they were slowly rebuilding their town with a larger and thicker wall with no gaps in it this time.

"Who comes hither?" called a voice from far away as they approached the new gates, stopping so they were in full view of any from the wall.

"Lady Alyse and her guards!" called one of the soldiers with her as Alyse nodded at him, slowly guiding Fern forward as the gates were opened to let them in and Lady Hope waiting for her just inside.

"How are you, dear?" said the lady warmly, holding Fern's head as Alyse dismounted on her own, smiling the whole time. "I've been wondering when you would come to check on us. How's Lady Amanda doing?"

"Better," replied Alyse with a smile. "The healer is an old friend of ours, and is forcing her to experience the majority of the pain so she'll be a little more careful next time. She's not immortal, you know."

"Yes, I know." The two of them walked around the small town, seeing shops and homes being rebuilt and new people moving in to take the place of those who had been lost from neighboring fiefs with the prospect of a new life. The mansion itself was being redesigned entirely so it was smaller and more practical as their funds were generally nonexistent at the moment and were mainly relying on grants from others so they could live.

"How is Justin and George?" asked Alyse, wanting to know how the baby and father were faring.

"Just fine," replied Lady Hope quickly. "Oh, Justin has grown so much since I last saw him. I can never thank your cousin enough for taking him in and raising him like that..."

"Oh, she loves kids," said Alyse with a shrug. "Don't worry about it, he got her out of more social functions than I can count."

"Then he earned his keep?"

"By keeping her single."

"So I can see."

They walked around for about an hour more, watching everyone work and stopping to talk with other occasionally with Ronnie right on their heals. At last, they left the fief and Alyse road back home, glad for the visit and that her friend was doing so well. Lady Hope and her family had their life back, and it felt great.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa sat by herself in her room, taking out some paper, a pen and ink, some wax, and her seal. Sharpening the end of the pen with her knife and readying the ink for use, she set about writing her report as quickly as possible.

September 1st, 459 H.E

20th year of reign of Jonathan IV and Thayet, his Queen

General Quinden:

On August 23rd, the Scanrans attacked the fief to the east of us, Lynx Mountain, and captured Lady Elizabeth along with a few others. The other lady, a servant, and her cousin went after the Lady and managed to retrieve her safely with others who were able to escape as well.

On August 24th during the third watch the first group of those who escaped made it to our fort, and were quickly treated for wounds and given lodging and meals until we could decide what to do with them next.  The  second group was found and rescued sometime later, a few of those who escaped killed by the Scanrans who had been chasing them for several hours straight.

Those who escaped have been sent to refugee camps, and those who didn't are buried in the cemetery we  have here at the fort. We are planning to attack the camp which these prisoners were held at. What are you orders, sir?

Officially,

Commander Lyssa.

She decided to leave out of the fact that Lady Amanda had almost been killed in the escape, as well as several other minor details that would be hard to explain. If they wished to have a more detailed report, she would give them one later on. This, for right now, would have to do.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Mouse lay tossing and turning in her bed, her other two sisters doing the same in the dead of the night as they all dreamed dreams....dreams that seemed to more than just the ordinary...

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Mouse stood in a field of sorts, a dark sky over head with the sun setting to her right, two long shadows from the same direction casting themselves over her. Looking that way while shielding her eyes from the light, she could just barely make out the two people who were moving in the distance. It looked like they were moving, trying to come closer, but something was keeping them back. Several things where.

Suddenly, two more joined them, the four of them fighting some invisible tide that constantly drove them back. Pushed them further and further away.

Another came from the side, pushing along side his or her (she couldn't tell the gender of the people from this distance) companions. Still, it was not enough. The tide pushed them back, kept them where they were, and threatened to sweep them away.

Finally, a final figure came and shoved from the back, bursting through the resistance and propelling them forward as if riding a wave of something, letting the excess energy carry them through...

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Vixen floated in mid air as she watched the ground below her, seeing masses of humans on either side...

The one, a ragged looking group with several sharp, cruel weapons, charged at the other in waves first small ones that only hit hear or there, but then became larger as they gained more confidence as the other stayed where it was and only warded off their attacks. The other stayed firm, shielding themselves as they could and fighting when they could not.

This was not a bloodless meeting, several lay on the field with their insides open to the sun, and rot and stink making her stomach roll even from as high up as they were. Stormwings floated around below her, massing around the bodies and feasting to their hearts content.

As if on cue, the two sides formed up, standing there without any movement, when all of a sudden, with one massive battle cry, they charged....

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Allie saw, within her mind's eye, a picture of her and her sisters in their daily lives as being thieves. Her view moved out, showing her a picture of Jennifer as a cook, and then in exile with her cats. Sarah and Jon were added next, showing her that there was a picture that her and the others made up. But she couldn't see what is was, yet. She wasn't far enough, there had to be more.

Other parts added themselves in, her not knowing who the person was or the picture too dark to see. She felt like she should recognize theses things. Know who they were...

The big picture was becoming clearer now, distinct forms taking place and the lines beginning to make sense, but before she could tell what it was it faded out and left her with nothing but black...

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All three sisters sat up at once, breathing heavily and pondering their dreams in their heads.

"Dude," said Vixen, noticing the others were up as well. "Did you guys have weird dreams too?"

"Yeah."

"Yup, why?"

"Son of a mee krob...I told Joe that wine tasted funky!!"

Well....it kinda made sense...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Trystan shook her head and sighed, laughed to herself as she did. Things weren't as stressful anymore, and she was in a much better mood than usual. This was the part of the job she enjoyed, just sitting back and watching things come together.

The dreams? Things she had done out of boredom. She grinned, unlimited power had it's advantages...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer unpacked the cold ham sandwiches they had packed while Stephanie and the cats kept an eye on the heard, wrapped in their cloaks in the early morning chill.

"When are we going to go back to the fief?" asked Jennifer, balancing drinks in one hand and food in the other.

"At the first frost just like I always do," replied Stephanie, checking on a lamb that had been born that week. "It won't be much longer, maybe a month at the most. I'm thinking about two weeks, though, and we'll be gone for the winter."

"Summer went by too fast."

"I know." Stephanie took a sandwich and bit into it, chewing and swallowing before she posed a question of her own.

"How much longer do you think you'll be here?"

"Oh, at least another year I'd imagine....maybe even longer..."

"How much longer?"

Jennifer shrugged, turning her back on her friend. "Right now, it feels like it might be forever," she admitted with a sigh. "Sometimes....I wonder.....is there something we're not seeing that we could use? Some obscure angle that's there, only hidden?"

"I don't think so," said Stephanie quickly. "They're doing the best they can, Jen, you can't blame them for that."

"I'm not," admitted Jennifer quietly. "I just want to be free again."

"I understand."

"Thanks."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sarah sat under a tree while Jon was working with Mandie some more when a familiar tune reached her ears, whistled by a very familiar person...

"Daine?"

"Right behind you," came the light voice, Sarah turning to see the young wild mage and her older counterpart standing just a few feet behind her.

"Have you been there long?" asked Sarah, motioning for them to come and sit.

"We just got here," admitted Daine with a shrug. "I just wanted to see if you'd remember the tune."

Sarah smiled. "Yep, you would whistle it every time you came to see us at the old horse ranch."

"I know."

"Hey," said Jon, nodding at each of them as he sat down beside Sarah, figuring he had taken enough abuse from the young mare for the day. "What's up?"

"The sky," said Numair immediately, smiling wickedly. "One could also say the air is up, or the clouds, or the birds of the sky, or the trees above, or the-" *muffle* *growl* *grumble*

Daine grinned as Numair pulled the cloth that she had shoved in his mouth from it, spitting a few times to rid himself of the taste before settling down more nobly and acting as if nothing had happened at all.

"I see you two are still getting along just fine," said Jon with a grin, sticking his tongue out at her as Sarah shook her head mockingly.

"Better than ever," said Daine with a shrug. "I hear you've changed your contract with the Rider's, or have gotten a different one entirely."

"With the war, they'll need horses to be kept near by up north," explained Sarah with a nod. "So we're taking part of our herd and part of another up there to be extras for anyplace that needs them if they need to replace those who are killed in battle or are exhausted and need a few weeks rest before they'll be any good again."

"How close to the boarder will you be?" asked Daine, frowning as she did.

"Somewhere near the fief Lynx Mountain is all we've been told so far," said Jon, laying back and closing his eyes. "What does it matter? We'll be close enough to the fighting that we could suffer a few attacks, we know that much for sure."

"Then you'll have some helpers or assistants?"

"Yeah, we haven't met them yet, though."

"That's good."

"Hopefully they won't run off with each other in love this time," sighed Sarah. "Those two were such good workers, I wouldn't mind taking them up north with us because I know they'd be able to keep their wits about themselves no matter what."

"Onua mentions something about twin boys from somewhere getting a job here," said Daine slowly. "Maybe you'll get them and you won't have that problem."

Sarah considered it for a moment. "Maybe."

"We have to go," said Jon, deciding he had endured enough odd looks from Numair. "It's time for lunch and we have to make ourselves something to eat..." Numair snapped his fingers and a feast appeared before them, a triumphant look on his face. "Show-off...."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle dismounted his horse in the palace courtyard and greeted the few courtiers that were out there already, waiting for someone other than he to arrive and just happening to be there when he did.

"How have you been, kind sir?" asked one in particular, a young lady of 17 or so from a family of fine standing who had tried to catch his eye earlier that year and failed. "It's been so long since anyone has seen you...we were afraid you might've just disappeared."

"What a pity that would've been," replied Kyle, rolling his eyes when she wasn't looking. "You wouldn't happen to have news of the attacks, would you?"

"What sort of news?"

"I heard Lynx Mountain was attacked, but nothing else was known of the event," explained Kyle quickly. "Do you know if anyone was killed in the attack?"

"All I know of it is that the fief still stands and there is someone still running it with their garrison of soldiers," said the lady regretfully, shaking her head as she did. "And I doubt you'll find anyone who knows much more than that."

"Shoot. Well, thank you anyways for you time, miss."

 The lady smiled prettily. "The pleasure is mine, good sir."

Kyle went to his quarters and unpacked with the help of his servants, going and walking throughout the palace the moment he was finished. He asked everyone he saw that he knew for news of the attacks, especially the one on Lynx Mountain, but every answer was the same. The fief still stood, with someone of enough authority to run it.

That wasn't enough to satisfy Kyle's need for information, and he knew he wouldn't get anymore until one of them headed for the palace or their caskets were sent their to be buried....and he was afraid of which it would be...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"You know," said Liz, sitting primly next to Amanda on her couch, this is your fault that you got hurt like this."

"Hush it," said Amanda, rolling her eyes as she did. She sat there fully dressed with her shoulder throbbing, left hand set in bandages and in a sling, and her calf still too tender to walk on much. Healing naturally took to long, in her opinion, and she wished Libby would just go and get it over with instead of making her suffer like this.

"I'm serious," said Liz. "You need to be more careful when you're doing dangerous things like that..."

"You're one to talk," snorted Amanda. "If you had been inside the walls like you're supposed to have been, when the Scanrans attacked I wouldn't have had to risk myself like that coming after you. So technically, this is all your fault that I'm hurt."

"You didn't have to come after me," Elizabeth reminded her quickly.

"You knew I would no matter what," replied Amanda, raising an eyebrow. "Lady Hope told me when she visited me a few days ago that you said to her that you knew I would come. You didn't know when it would be, or how it would happen, but I would come and I would do my best to save you and any others that were with you."

"That doesn't matter," said Elizabeth quickly. "It's still your fault."

"How is that?!"

"Because I said so."

"Argh!!!"

"What's she growling about now?" asked Levi, sticking his head in the door.

"She says it's my fault that she's hurt, not hers," said Elizabeth, letting him take her seat next to Amanda and sitting on a chair nearby.

"It is!" said Amanda quickly in exasperation. "Hello, rescue only happening because of her..."

"Hello, serious wounds only happening mainly due to someone stopping before they were safe and shooting all their arrows at the enemy!!"

"She has a point," admitted Levi with a teasing grin. "I'm thinking you're gonna lose this one, Amanda."

"I already have..."

"She knows when she's beat!"

"That's what you think..."

"Nope, that's what I know!" Elizabeth smiled cutely as Amanda glared at her, knowing she probably had some painful fate awaiting her later on. But right now, with the fact that she had just won an argument over her sister who was always right, she really didn't care.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby waited patiently by the gates of the fort as they were opened, letting her and Artman ride through into the King's Own area that had been their home base for the past year or so.

"Hey, Libby," said Kel, taking her mount for her after she had dismounted in the main courtyard. "I'll take good care of Veety for you, alright?"

"I need him to be in good condition," said Libby mock seriously.

"What, for 'riding'?" asked Artman under his breath, cowering in fear as Libby pulled out a mallet threateningly. "I....I was just kidding..." Kel quickly led the horse away before she could be smashed by the mallet and Raoul came by right about then, a sealed parchment in his hands.

"Am I interrupting anything?" he asked as Libby whipped the mallet back into hiding, Artman still cowering behind her in fear.

"Nope!" said Libby brightly, giving him her best *cute* smile. It about killed him from the cuteness she was radiating, but anyways...

"Alright," he said, blinking a few times and handing her the parchment. "This is from the King and the General. Something about new orders, I think."

"Alright," said Libby, taking it from him and breaking the seals. "Hm...hm...hm.... let's see here....uh huh.....uh huh.....alright.... SWEET!!!"

"What is it?" asked Raoul, having backed away when she had burst out with the exclamation, trying not to get himself smashed in any way shape or form.

"We're being pulled back to the palace for something about training new mages," explained Libby quickly. "We're to come with the ladies if they're still planning on their trip, and if not then to come immediately."

"When are you going, then?"

"When ever Lady Amanda and her sister does," replied Libby happily. "Yeah!! Hot baths, regular meals, constant clean clothes....pure heaven and bliss!! Civilization, here I come!"

"I take it she's not much of a nature girl," whispered Raoul to Artman, who had regained some of his composure and wits back since Libby's focus was off of him. (If he ever had any to begin with, that is...XP)

"Nope...the girl's terrified of anything even related to bugs in any shape or form."

"What was that?" asked Libby, whipping around from her celebration and reaching for her mallet threateningly.

The two men glanced at each other and shut their mouths, hoping to kingdom come they wouldn't get hit. "Nothing..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse waited until Elizabeth and Levi had left Amanda's room, knowing it was safe then and she'd be able to talk with her 'cousin' in private. Knocking on the door gently, she stuck her head in and looked around. "Amanda?"

"Over here," came the familiar voice, beckoning her to the balcony on which the unruly lady stood. "Hey, Alyse. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted someone to talk to," said Alyse quietly, sitting down on one of the padded chairs out there.

"Then you talk," said Amanda, easing herself into a chair across from her. "And I will listen as long as you want me to." Alyse smiled slightly, knowing Amanda was still in pain and probably wishing she could lay down with some drugs in her system right about then, but would give it up just for a friend. It's nice to know you have people around you like that, sometimes.

"About the escape," started Alyse, figuring Amanda would be able to guess where this was eventually going to lead. "It was an...interesting experience, wasn't it?"

"It was," admitted Amanda, nodding her head. "How are you healing up after that?"

"Completely healed and restored," replied Alyse, showing the faint scar where a nasty slash had once been. "Libby said it'll fade in a few months, and I'll never have to worry about it again."

"Lucky."

"Yeah well.....yeah." Alyse sat there for a moment, getting her thoughts back together once more. "And we saved several people, didn't we? Like Lady Hope and her husband, and some villagers who no longer have homes, and some soldiers....like Faleron..."

"Then you've talked with him?" asked Amanda in a low voice, knowing this day had to come eventually.

"Yeah," replied Alyse slowly. "He....they were captured, not killed in some freak raider attack. It's a miracle he even made it out alive. An entire regiment of 100 men.... reduced to only three lucky survivors..." Alyse stopped there, calming herself for a moment while Amanda waited across from her patiently, letting her have some time to herself for a moment. "You know," started Alyse again, her hands shaking as she did. "I always wondered what it'd be like if he came back. At first, it was dreams that like he'd show up out of the blue and we'd be together again and everything would be alright....but now I can see things are different than that....nothing is really the same..."

"Then you gave him back his ring and necklace?"

Alyse shook her head slowly. "He told me to keep them, as a sign that we'd always be friends. And I want to be friends with him....at one time I wanted to be so much more....but things can never be like that, can they? He was gone for so long, that I lost what I had with him. And now, I can never get it back."

"Sometimes, things like that happen," said Amanda gently, getting up and putting her arms around the younger girl. "Alyse, I know change from the past can hurt, but if it's changing for your future, maybe it's for the best...I'm not saying Faleron is a bad guy or that you never should've gone out with him in the first place, what I'm saying is that maybe what you had with him was not meant to be. That you both have rolls you have to fulfill, and it isn't with each other either."

"I guess so," whispered Alyse, getting up and walking over to the railing to stand by herself for a moment. "It just hurts again, even worse than it did the first time when I thought he was gone for good, and all I really want is for the pain to go away."

"It will," promised Amanda, rubbing her sore shoulder as she did. "You just have to give it sometime. It's like any other cut or wound you get, only time (because there are no healer mages for the heart) will heal it. Eventually, it will scab over, leave a scar, and the scar will fade. It may take months or years for it to go through the whole process, but it will happen eventually, and that's all that really matters."

"Are you sure?" asked Alyse, turning around and looking Amanda in the eye seriously.

"I am sure."

Alyse hesitated, about ready to head for the door. "Thank you, Amanda."

Amanda smiled slightly, limping back inside to the cabinet where she kept the pills and aloes Libby had given her. "Anytime, Alyse."

Alyse nodded and walked out the door. It still hurt, she knew it would even after she told someone, but now she could be sure that someday it would heal. Someday, she would be able to look around her and her heart wouldn't ache because something reminded her of him. And that would be the day that she would learn to love again.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me..."

"Alright already!!" cried Lyssa, about two seconds away from slicing her best friend's head off. "I'll try and explain it to you, but it probably won't make sense."

"Why not?" asked Eric, as persistent as ever. "Aw, come on, Lyssa, please?? I promise I'll do my best to understand."

"That's not it," said Lyssa, sitting down in the mess hall. He across from her, looking at her expectantly. "You see, it involves things that you've never even heard of before..."

"Like what?" asked Eric, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "Come on, Lyssa, it's not like you're from another dimension or anything." Lyssa froze up for a moment, breathing in slowly as she did. "What?! Now I know you're mocking me..."

"Yeah, whatever," cut in Lyssa, resting her head on the table. "Look, those people at the fief and such, one of them is one of my best friends from growing up. Don't ask where, don't ask how, and don't ask when. Just accept it as it is and believe me until I think you're ready for the rest of the story."

"What more could there be?!" asked Eric in exasperation. "You met her as a kid and got separated as you got older, whoop de do."

"Never mind," said Lyssa, getting up quickly and leaving him at the table as he tried to figure it out in his head. "I'll tell you someday, it just won't be today."

"That means never, right?"

"No, that means someday that isn't today."

"How about tomorrow?"

"No."

"The day after that?"

"No."

"In a week?"

"Nope."

"How about two weeks?"

"Let me think about it....no."

"Three?"

"And once more.....no."

"Lyssa!!!"

"Tough, man, I'm not telling you."

Eric sniffed and pretended to put on a puppy face, whimpering softly as he did. "Please???"

"...........um.....................no."

"Why not?!"

"Because you wouldn't get it, hun," said Lyssa, heading outside to take her turn at guard duty and keep an eye on things over all. "Later, Eric."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Morning, Momma Mouse!" said Kara, bouncing into Mouse's bedroom one morning. "Hey, those are start with 'm'!"

"You're right, they do," said Mouse from the table where she was sitting working out some figures as to how much the Rogue had 'made' that month. "Morning, Kara, how are you?"

The little girl climbed up into her lap, turning serious for once (or as serious as an adorable little thing like her could look). "I have a question," she stated firmly, sitting there with her hands folded primly in her lap. "I was thinking last night, about what you and Auntie Allie and Auntie Vixie always talk about with me going back home or whatever, and I was thinking: what's gonna happen to little Kara if you ever prove her meany old aunt really did do all those horrible and bad things?"

"We don't know if we'll ever be able to do it at all," Mouse reminded her gently, giving her a quick hug. "So you really don't need to worry about it."

"But what if you do?" persisted Kara, frowning as she did. "I may be a little girl, but you don't hafta lie to me like some of my friend's parents used to do."

"I'm not," replied Mouse. "I really don't know what would happen if we were able to prove that your aunt did all those mean things. But this is one thing that I can promise you: me, and Auntie Vixie and your nurse and even Auntie Allie will always be here for you, no matter what."

"Thank you, Momma Mouse!" cried Karalee, wrapping her arms around Mouse's neck and planting a kiss on her cheek. "You're so nice!"

"Oh my goodness..."

Mouse and Kara looked up to see Vixen standing in the doorway with Joe, who had a bemused look on his face. "What?"

"They're so cute..." whispered Vixen, leaning back against the doorframe even more. "They're generating off each other more cuteness they're so cute. If Libby were here it'd be deadly it would be so adorably cute, and an ounce more, and I'd faint from it..."

"Oh, Auntie Vixie, you're so silly," said Kara, leaving Mouse's lap and heading out the door after giving both Vixen and Joe a hug. "Bye bye!"

Mouse sat seething in her chair, waiting until Kara was out of sight to get up and start advancing on Vixen. A cold light shone in her eyes, and Vixen backed up so as to put Joe between herself and her murderer for the moment.

"Now Mouse..."

"You are so dead."

"Please don't kill me?"

"Not gonna happen. You are so so dead."

"Eepp....!" Vixen sprinted down the hall towards a trap door she knew of while Mouse tore past Joe, shoving him into the wall in her quest to rip out Vixen's throat.

"Why me..." he moaned, sliding to the floor as he tried to get his breath back. "I didn't even say she was cute..." x_x

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Jeniffer?! Jennifer!!!"

"Go 'way," muttered Jennifer in her sleep. "Leave me alone, it's my day to sleep in..."

"JENNIFER I'M NOT PROTECTING YOUR GOATS AND SOMEONE'S TRYING TO RUN AWAY WITH THEM!!!!"

"Huh?!?!?!?!" Jennifer hopped up and pulled on a tunic before rushing out the door, confronted with five or six vagabonds who were trying to get past Stephanie to the pens and grab the sheep or goats.

"You get the lbig one and then the sheep," said the man obviously in charge. "The little one's mine. Ha!!" Jennifer jumped back as the rusty blade swung down in an arch at her head, barely ducking in time to keep it firmly on her shoulders.

"Jerk," she growled, thrusting her pole up and forward, hitting him in the chest and knocking him back some. "Get out of here and leave us alone!"

"Fast little thing," he said with a grin, rubbing his chest as he did. "I like 'em fast." He charged at her again, this time taking a hit in the groin and the back of the head as he came down before her on his knees, blacking out entirely from there.

"No one says that about me and gets away with it," growled Jenny, going to help Stephanie after kicking him for good measure. "Get lost, losers!"

They easily defeated the other two and the rest ran for it, dragging their companions behind them by their legs and arms. "I hope they don't forget it this time," muttered Stephanie as she wiped some blood from her lip, split from a hit that had gotten past her at the time.

"Forget what?" asked Jennifer, looking rather confused.

"They come by and try to take something at least every couple years," said Stephanie, "Always around the same month and time of day too. Like I won't be up at dawn, idiots, I have a herd to take care of here!!"

"Then you've face them before in the past?" asked Jennifer in confusion.

"Yeah," replied Stephanie with a nod. "Usually Sean is staying with me at the time and it isn't a problem, I just forgot to warn you about it, that's all."

"Yeah," murmured Jennifer. "That would've been nice..."

"Hey, I'm trying here!"

"It's ok," said Jennifer with a nod. "We all know you have problems thinking sometimes..."

"Hey! And what about you?"

"Truth hurts."

"I never denied it."

"Neither did I."

"Sure you didn't..." ^_~

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jon stood patiently in the pen, knowing he only had to wait before Mandie would let him come near her again. She started to look relaxed about ten minutes later and he started towards her from the front, bringing the reins with him and some other tack as well.

She didn't move, just let him put everything on and hook her up to a small buggy outside, going first by herself going over and over the signals she had learned for turns, stops, and starts with it. He then unhooked her and attached her and a young mare about her age to a wagon, going through the same routine and making sure they got everything right before moving onto the next set.

The other mare was taken off and given a treat with Mandie before taken off to the stables for some rest once more. Jon led Mandie back into the pen and let her loose, getting the other set of tack and waiting for her to come up to him, reins in one hand and saddle under his arm.

She did and let him harness her for riding, staying completely still until the final step... "NEIGH!!!"

Jon went flying from his mount and landed in the grass nearby, laying there for a moment before he rolled over on his back to look at the sky, groaning out loud as he moved.

"Have a nice ride and fly?" asked Sarah from her spot in the shade near by.

"Absolutely," said Jon sarcastically, getting up and dusting his pants off. "Why in the world won't she let me ride her?! She's broken to everything, even wearing the frigging saddle, she just won't let anyone ride her!!!"

"Maybe she's not meant for you to ride," said Sarah slowly, turning her head to the side. "You might want to go wash up before you try that again, you're all dirty."

"Why bother?" asked Jon. "I'm just going to get all dirty again."

"True..."

Mandie came over and whickered softly, nuzzling Sarah before turning her tail on Jon and sitting down in the shade.

"Nice to see you to," muttered Jon.

"I don't think she appreciated being jumped on like that," observed Sarah cautiously.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" asked Jon tiredly. "Get up from the stirrup, have her take off at a gallop and drag me across the group only this time it isn't covered with snow and could *KILL* me??"

"Sure, why not?" Sarah shrugged.

"You're impossible."

Sarah grinned. "Yup."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle was sitting in his room when someone knocked on his door, tumbling the tower of cards he had created out of boredom for the past two hours and gotten six tours tall at that point.

"What is it?" he asked irritably, rising to his feet as he did.

"A message from the King, Baron!" called a young voice from outside the door. Kyle went and let the young Page in, taking the envelope from his hands and handing him a silver crescent for delivering it to him so quickly.

"You can go," said Kyle after he scanned the message, a smile spreading across his face. "I will go see King Jonathan myself, thank you."

"Yes, Baron, thank you sir."

Kyle read the note one more time to make sure he had right:

Baron Kyle

We have news from the Northern front concerning Scanran attacks, especially ones on Lynx Mountain. If you wish to hear more, please come and see me and I will fill you in on the details.

King Jonathan and Queen Thayet

"YES!!" he cried, going and combing his hair so he looked more presentable as well as changing his rumpled tunic before heading to the King's main office in search of the answers he had been seeking for so long.

Kyle knocked on the door when he got to it, a guard letting him in and permitting him entrance before going and standing outside the main door to make sure no one disturbed them.

"I trust you got my message, Baron," said the King kindly as he rose and bowed to the nobleman, Kyle bowing as well in return.

"Yes, sire," he said eagerly. "What news is there of the North? No one knows and I have been trying to find answers since I first arrived..."

"So I have heard," said the King, leaning over and taking a letter from one of the many stacks on his desk. "Commander Lyssa, who was one of those involved in part of the attack somehow sent her report awhile ago and it just now reached us the way our mail systems work and all."

"The Ladies are fine, you have no need to worry of that. Lady Elizabeth was held prisoner for a short while by the Scanrans, but she was able to escape with the help of her sister and two others. Lady Amanda was hurt in the rescue, but appears to be doing alright now due to the Brazir Mage who is a healer helping take care of her. Commander Lyssa and her fort were involved when the prisoners who escaped ran there instead of to Lynx Mountain because their fort was closer. With their soldiers they were able to save the sisters and escapees, including one of the other Lady's and her husband who have been missing for months. Does that answer your questions?"

"When are they expected to come south, your majesty?" asked Kyle quickly. "Or are they even coming at all?"

"They are coming," said the King firmly. "According to a note Lady Amanda sent herself soon after the attack, as soon as she is well enough to travel easily she said. I'm assuming that would mean they're leaving in a week or so, and arriving within the month. Don't quote me on that, though."

"Thank you, sire," said Kyle, rising quickly and bowing as he did. "I really do appreciate you giving me that information....it takes a lot off my mind."

"I know," said the King seriously. "Be careful, Kyle, between those two sisters I don't know which is worse. A fighter or a seducer....both dangerous with their fine points as well...but anyways I hope that will keep you satisfied until they come."

"It will," said Kyle, bowing one last time. "Thank you very much, sire."

"My pleasure."

Kyle strolled out the door into the hallway in a much better mood than he had originally felt. His fears gone, his worries banished, the sisters were coming and now all he had to do was wait for them to arrive. What more could he want?

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda walked down the halls of Lynx Mountain, her cape flowing behind her and her sword at her side. Her left wrist was still bandaged up, and her not all of her wounds were completely sealed but they were getting there. It felt good to be mobile again.

"I still don't think you should go," said Kyle, trotting along side her to keep up with her fast pace.

"I don't care what you think," said Amanda calmly, turning and heading towards the stables. "Elizabeth and Alyse already left, so I need to get going before I'm any more late than I already am."

"You haven't ridden since the attack," Kyle reminded her quickly.

"I'll manage," she grunted, taking the saddle mare the groom offered to her. "Are you coming or not?"

"Just to keep you out of trouble, yes."

"Whatever."

Alyse sat next to Elizabeth, waiting for the General to arrive. Lyssa sat across from them, a smile on her face as she waited patiently for what was surely to happen next.

"Good to see you're all on time," said the General as he brusquely entered the room. "I do believe you said Lady Amanda was expected today, Commander, but I do not see her here. Did she take some detour to see her latest-"

*knock**knock*

The General groaned and went to unlock the door, taking down the hearing spells that were always automatically put in place as he did. "What do you-"

"Show more respect to a Lady, sir, or your might find yourself missing your head," came a cool voice outside the room. Lyssa smiled, fighting the urge to laugh out loud as the General staggered back and let Amanda through.

"I see you made it at last," said Elizabeth, nodding to a seat across from her.

"I'm sorry for that," said Amanda, "I got a little....tied up with someone protesting my coming here." She darted a glare as Levi, who merely shrugged in reply and took his seat next to her.

"I trust you're in good health," said the General, noting the bandaged hand, the other all scared and traces of healing wounds showing in her movements.

"I've been better, thank you," said Amanda, taking their file of information from Alyse and placing it before her. Flipping it open casually, Amanda said, "Can we get started now? There is much for me still to do at home, and time is wasting."

"Uh….of course," said the General, still in a bit of a daze as he took his seat. "The first order of business today…were the attacks by the Scanrans taken care of well enough? How can we improve upon it next time?"

"They were taken care of well enough," snapped Amanda testily. "The ones on the small towns were easily fended off, I saw to that myself, and the fiefs are fine. They have garrisons that can easily keep their walls safe. Even wit part of ours gone defending another town we were able to repulse an attack."

"Then what would you suggest that we do to make it better?" replied the General, rolling his eyes as he did at the thought of dealing with another female with brains.

"I would *insist* that we set up a more efficient way to send messages from one fort to another," said Amanda calmly, nodding her head as she did. "There has to be some way we could transport messages instantly so there's no more of this sending runners and risking them being killed or stalled in someway. That only wastes time."

"How can we do that?!" cried the General, rising to his feet as he turned a rather rich shade of plum. "Not all of us are mages like the great Numair or even Alanna the Lioness. That would be impossible as well as power draining to those who don't have that much to spare!"

"Objects, especially ones created by the mage himself, can multiply their power a thousand fold at the time that they use it. I can create weapons and use them with far greater ability than an ordinary one that I happen to buy from a smithy in town," explained Amanda slowly, smiling lightly a she did. "If you could create tablets where if you wrote on one it would transport the message to some other board at another fort or fief. Would that not be more efficient than these runners of yours?"

"You can present the idea to the King," scoffed the General, sitting back down swiftly. "It shall be you who are ridiculed if he thinks it bogus as I do, not me."

Amanda shrugged, her eyes dancing. "Whatever."

"You're mocking me," said the General, locking eyes with her in an attempt to stare her down.

"No, mocking you is saying you're a the living example of a male chauvinist pig, among other things," said Amanda calmly, easily staring right back without a flinch. "Any other questions?" The General got up and stomped out of the room, his face as red as a tomato and everyone else laughing as he did. "That felt really good," murmured Amanda to herself as she got up, still favoring her right leg some and making her way to the door. "Come on, guys, let's get out of here."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby tried to count the numerous bunnies that littered the floor of her room, hopping every which way and half of them not even named because she couldn't keep them all straight. 

"Those from the original two groups hop this way!" she cried, motioning to the spot on her bed. Pinky, Rose, Pinky Jr., Dusty, Iforget, Chibi, and Chan a few others materialized out of the crowd, staying to one side as Libby herded the rest into cages that she took out with her into the village, trying not the cry the whole way.

"Sorry, guys," she said, setting up shop and standing there with a sign on one of the cages: FREE BUNNIES FOR GOOD HOMES!!

"Can I have one?" asked a little girl, coming and tugging on Libby's skirt.

"Of course you can," said Libby, picking a light brown one out of the fray and handing her to the girl. "You can name her whatever you want, too."

"Really?" asked the girl, her eyes huge as she looked up at Libby. "I'll call her Linda, then, 'cuz that's the bestest name in the whole wide world!"

Libby smiled cutely. "If you want…"

"Cool, you're giving away bunnies?" said a little boy, dragging his mother over as he did. "Can I have one, mum? Please? Please???"

"Alright," said the Lady, smiling at Libby who nodded in reply. "We'll take three of them because his brothers will want ones too."

"All different colors?"

"If you could."

"Alright." Libby pulled out a black one, a gray one, and a white one, handing them to the woman gently. "There, that should do it!"

"Thanks!" cried the boy, taking the gray one and holding him close. "He's so warm."

"Thank you," said the Lady, pulling out her purse. "Is there any charge?"

"They're free," said Libby, waving her money away. "See the sign? Just take care of them for me."

"We will, thanks."

"What are you doing?" asked Alyse, coming out of nowhere to stand beside Libby with Ronnie at her heals and a fan in her hands as always.

"Giving away my bunnies," said Libby a tad bit sadly. "I don't have enough room to keep them all, and they keep multiplying like crazy too!!"

"Bunnies have a tendency to do that…"

"I know."

"Why don't you set some of them free in the wild?"

"Set them free?! They could get eaten by a big bad wolf, or shot by some hunter and made into a stew and who's going to feed them or teach them to jump rope like pros, I mean you have to teach them to jump rope and do the cool little jump rope chant or give them a hug when they're sad or-"

"I get the picture," cut in Alyse, shaking her head. "I have to go back to the fief. Let me know how it goes, alright?"

"Alright, I will."

"How much for one of those?" asked a young man, coming up with a goofy smile on his face. "My fiancée loves fuzzy creatures without fangs, so I thought I'd get her one as a surprise!"

"They're free!" said Libby pertly, putting her hands behind her back. "Go ahead, pick one!"

"I will, thanks!"

Libby gave away the rest of the bunnies and headed the back the fief, stopping in her rooms to check on those who were left and found Pinky lying in the middle of the bed with the rest of the bunnies surrounding her. A new little of bunnies suckling at her teats and or sleeping beside her for warmth filled the rest of the space, giving her 6 more to take care of.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse wandered down the halls of the fief, stopping by Faleron and his friends' room, knocking softly as she did.

"Who is it?" called a voice from inside.

"Lady Alyse."

An older face with lines peaked outside the door, looking at her for a second before bowing slightly and moved aside to let her in. "Milady."

"Thank you."

"'Tis a pleasure, ma'am."

"Alyse!" said Faleron in surprise when he looked up from the book he was reading to see who it was. "Um, we weren't expecting you and I apologize for the mess, but-"

"It's alright," said Alyse, sitting in one of the chairs and waiting for the rest to take their seats, a blonde man in his 40's coming out from one of the bedrooms and sitting down as well. "I just had a few questions for you."

Faleron nodded. "Fire away."

"Well, what do you want to do now that you're free?" asked Alyse, glancing around at all of them one at a time. "I mean, you could be hanged for high treason since there really isn't any proof that you didn't go and desert to help the Scanrans at this point."

"You  know we didn't," said the blonde man quickly, rising to his feet. "We were captured and beaten for information, forced to go against our will…"

"I know that," said Alyse firmly, "But the magistrate might not. Lady Amanda has offered you a place here, if you want it, a place to restart your lives and become a different person to avoid that risk."

"Are those our only to choices?" asked the oldest of them, the one with the lined face, his brown hair streaked with gray. "I mean, either one isn't that enticing right about now…"

"I'm afraid so," said Alyse, bowing her head. "Lady Amanda has said she will vouch for you, as will Elizabeth and Lady Hope, but it may not be enough."

"So, it's a risk either way. You do realize your cousin could lose her nobility if she kept us here under different identities due to the law," said Faleron, looking at her seriously as he did.

Alyse nodded slowly. "She knows."

Faleron looked surprised. "And she's still willing to take the risk for us? A bunch of scraggly knights who aren't worth much at all?"

Alyse shrugged. "Depends on what you count as worth…"

"True, true….what do you guys think?"

"I want to see my wife again," said the blonde one.

"I want to sleep in my own bed for once," added the other. "We'll go back, a few days after your cousin leaves so her party doesn't get any bigger than it already is."

"You're sure?"

"We are."

"Then I'll go have things arranged," said Alyse, getting up and heading for the door.

"Lady Alyse," said Faleron, stopping her as she was about to close it.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Thanks."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa sat in her quarters laughing quietly as memories of the General's face flooded her mind. Oh, to see that again she would give almost anything in the world… well anything is this world anyways.

"Commander," came a voice outside her door, snapping her back to reality for the moment.

"Come on," she replied quickly, standing up as she did.

"A message for you, ma'am," said the Rider, handing her an envelope and saluting quickly before she dismissed him on his way.

"Wonder who this is from," she said to herself, breaking the nondescript seal and sitting back down at her desk to read it in the candle light she had there. "Hm…"

It read:

Commander Lyssa,

You are being ordered to head back to the palace for some winter training as well as training of others who will be joining the ranks on the boarder this next spring at your fort and others near by.  Make your arrangements for someone to watch the fort while you're gone and get down here before the snows close the passes for good.

General Vanget

"I guess that takes care of that," she said to herself, getting up and putting the letter in a box with others that held her letters from Generals in general. "To the palace I go….gladly too because that means I won't be freezing my tush off in the snow during guard duty and by the time I get back it'll be all warm again. Yes!!"

"Not fair!" cried Eric from the door where he stood. "That is so not fair! We're stuck here and you get to go to Corus for the winter!"

"Yeah, what of it?" asked Lyssa smugly.

"Meany…"

"I tell you what," said Lyssa with a grin. "You can be in charge while I'm gone for the winter."

"Really?!"

"Really."

"Whoopee!!" Eric started doing flips around the hallway outside her room.

"I've created a monster," murmured Lyssa mockingly as she closed the door, going back to her dreams of no guard duty and less cold than normal for the time being…

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Allie strode out the front door of the Dancing Dove, purse in hand and daggers hid everywhere she could fit them under the scant clothes she would wear even this close to winter. The days had a chill to them and at night you could see your breath, but all the more reason to keep guys around…or at least that was her thoughts on it anyways…

"Milady is interested?" asked a tanner, seeing her eye a pair of 'handcuffs' that hung in the back on a hook.

"A bit," she replied slowly. "What are they used for?"

"Whatever it is, I don't want to know," said the man with a shudder, "I make them custom for the House of Harlots down the road, and they go through them so fast that I always keep a spare pair with in reach just incase."

"Hard use?"

"Apparently."

Allie smiled. "I'll take one."

"If that's what milady wants…."

"It is."

"Alright. That'll be two silver nobles."

Allie dug through her purse. "Here you go, sir, and thanks."

"Always a pleasure."

Allie went on to a small shop on the side of the road she knew of, taking the shop owner to the side as she did. "Did the new stuff come in?" she asked quietly, winking teasingly as she did.

"But of course," said the woman with a secretive smile. "I said it would be here within a week, and that was a week ago today."

"Can I have some of the usual?"

"You're already out?" asked the woman suspiciously. "I just sold you three ounces two weeks ago!"

"I've been busy!" said Allie with a devilish smile. "In more ways than one…oh I love that stuff…"

"It'll be more than the usual," said the woman with a shrug.

"How much?"

"Three gold nobles an ounce."

"THREE gold nobles an OUNCE???!?!?!" cried Allie, her mouth hanging open in shock.

"'Tis better stuff than usual, more potent," explained the woman with a shrug. "The ounce alone can create over a hundred doses, just don't use too much at once."

"Alright," grouses Allie. "If this weren't the best I could find I wouldn't do this, and you know it too!!"

"They don't call this place 'The Love Shack' for nothing," said the woman with a shrug. "That and I can guarantee that everything in here is legal as well as conductive other than you liking it so much you come back for more. Anything else?"

Allie considered it for a moment, looking at the numerous potions and crèmes for numerous things that lined the shelves. "Nope, just three ounces of the new stuff."

"Ok." The woman measured it out and handed it to her, smiling all the while as she got her three gold nobles. "Until next time, friend!"

"Until next time!"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer and Stephanie sat down to dinner as Stephanie sorted through the mail they had gotten that day. It was fairly exciting, considering that they only got mail about once every two weeks, sometimes more.

"Here," said Stephanie, handing Jennifer a letter. "From your pals in Corus."

"Think they've gotten into anymore trouble?" asked Jennifer, breaking the seal as she did.

"They're thieves," said Stephanie as if it were obvious. "If they didn't I'd be surprised."

"Good point."

"Hey, here's one from Sean for both of us," said Stephanie, breaking the seal and pulling out a small note that was rather quickly written. "He's coming out to visit sometime soon, something about a late Fall break he's taking."

"Sounds good to me," said Jennifer, grinning widely. "I mean, we haven't seen him forever it seems."

"Aw, missing him that badly?"

"Hey!"

"Settle down," said Stephanie as she laughed. "I was just teasing."

"Sure you were…"

"What are we going to do while he's here?" asked Stephanie offhand, going back to sorting through the mail. "Oh shoot…not another letter from that idiot…"

"Well, I was kinda hoping to have some plans of my own…" said Jennifer lightly. "But if you'd like to be around for that…"

"You'd better be teasing," growled Stephanie with a shudder. "Because that is not funny."

Jennifer stuck her tongue out. "And if I'm not?"

"I'll cut off your tongue and let the bears eat you out in the woods," threatened Stephanie, although she really didn't mean it and they both knew that too.

"Were you moaning about another letter from your secret admirer?" asked Jennifer, changing the subject.

"Yep," said Stephanie with a groan. "I still can't figure out who it is and they won't leave me alone!!"

"Chances are it's someone at the fief…"

"I know."

The two of them spent the rest of the night planning what they would do when Sean got there and debating over the secret admirer as well.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Sarah, boosting Jon up into the tree on a low branch and waiting for him to get situated before she let go.

"Yes, I am," he replied quickly. "She has to learn sometime who's boss, and this is the best way that I can think of to do it!"

"She's going to kill you one of these days," said Sarah with a sigh, going over to open the pen door. "Don't blame me if you end up meeting your maker today!!"

"I won't," said Jon with a shrug. "I've been hurt so much that I no longer hurt at all."

"There's no emergency room to take you to if you're hurt."

"No, there's several healer mages near by who can restore me to full health in minutes if I ask them too," retorted Jon, adjusting his position on the branch. "Just open the gate, will you?"

"Whatever."

Mandie walked into the pen, wandering around and generally checking out the place before she settled in the shade of the tree, grazing peacefully as Jon prepared himself for the jump. One minute, two, three went by and still he waited. It had to be just right….just the perfect moment so he'd have time to get a good grip…

"YEEHA!!!" Jon held on with both hands with the rope he had used to lasso Mandie's head, staying on her back as she leapt and cavorted around the pen, twisting and turning every which way in an attempt to get him off her back. Still, he diligently held on and kept his seat, hoping it would stop sometime soon before he lose his grip.

Sarah watched from the sidelines, chewing on her thumb as Mandie twisted one way and then the other, catching Jon off balance and ending it with a mighty kick that sent him sailing through the hair, head first at the very tree that he had started from to begin with.

THUNK

"Jon!?!?!?"

"What?" he groaned as he rolled on his back, trying to clear the stars that danced in his eyes from his vision. "Ow…" X_X

"Are you alright?!"

"I…think so…"

"You're lucky to even be alive!!"

"Yeah, I guess so…just so thick skulled and all…"

"Which explains why you don't have a *brain* up there to begin with…"

"Hey, I resent that remark!!"

"Oh well."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle saddled his own horse as Stephen nodded to him on his way to the palace, glad that some nobles had the decency to do things on their own once in awhile. Two hunting hawks he had loaned from a friend sat near by on a perch, loose from their bindings and blindfolds but staying there from the promise of the chance to fly free if they did.

"There we are," said Kyle as he mounted the gelding, shifting around until he was comfortable and the hawks had flown over to perch beside him on the saddle. "Let's go, boy, and thank you, you two, for coming with me."

It's not a problem said the female to his left in fact, thank you for bringing us, we're rarely allowed out to fly since Daine is gone so often and no longer comes around to regularly let us out.

It's not her fault said the male lightly, his head held high as he tested the breezes with his wings. But, I do miss her presence among us. She is truly one of the People.

"Am I?" asked Kyle, curious to know what these hawks, or any other animals, might say.

You are admitted the female. To a certain extent...it is hard to explain...

Yes, it is added the male. You are partially of the People, but not entirely...almost like a ...half-breed?

"A half-breed, am I?" asked Kyle, shaking his head as he did. "You mean like clone of two things that don't really go together?"

Exactly.

"That's nice to know."

There really is no other way to explain it...

"I know, and I understand."

They rode on for awhile, Kyle coming to a field he had found earlier that year before the trial. Stopping the horse, he bid the hawks to fly about as they wished around the plain as long as they were within reach of his power. He then spurred his horse into a gallop flew across it himself as best he could, letting the horse take control of where they went and flying with the birds of the air high above in his minds eye.

Not much else could compare with feeling the rush of the wind against himself and flitting among the breezes as he wished. To Kyle, this was heaven and was one of the few things he ever really wanted out of life. The chance to fly.

Eventually, his mount grew tired and slowed to a walk, Kyle spiraling down from his high in the sky to back down on earth. The hawks joined him a short while later, gladly sharing the treats he had brought for them and chattering away as they did.

Kyle turned back towards the castle as the day's glow began to dim and everyone else who had been out doing this or that or were coming in from long journey's started heading in, resulting in the main path he came to once he was out of the royal forest being rather crowded and filled with peasants and nobles alike, each going about their business and getting indoors for their evening meals as the bells from the city tolled the time, 7th bell of the day.

Getting to the stables and putting up his mount and giving the hawks back to their owners, he promised to come by and take them flying some other day before getting his things and heading back for his rooms.

Man, did he ever love to fly.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Grandfather shook his head admiringly as Amanda stubbornly packed her bags on her own; Elizabeth, Alyse, Libby, and Levi trying to stop her with no apparent success at the moment and probably none to come either.

"You can't go!" argued Elizabeth, standing between Amanda and her dresser as the older sister tried to get back over to her drawers for another pair of pants. "You're still not fully healed, Amanda, we shouldn't leave at all this year!"

"I need to go back there," said Amanda firmly. "I don't know why, so don't bother asking me. I just feel this need...maybe we'll find something waiting there for us or...I don't know! I am going, though, whether or not you want me to."

"You shouldn't be putting that sort of strain on yourself, yet," Libby reminded her quickly, grabbing hold her good wrist and comparing it with the other. "At least put off the trip for a few weeks, you could use the rest..."

"All I've done is rest for the past few weeks!" cried Amanda in frustration. "I've gained weight and lost some of my muscle at the same time! Do you want me to become some fat, lazy noble lady who uses her money to get a husband and sits on her butt all day while he does all the work?!"

"That'll never happen to you," said Levi quickly, holding his hands up as he did. "Look, we all know that you really want to go to Corus and all-"

"It's not that I want to go," cut in Amanda, stopping and standing in front of him suddenly. "It's that I have to, alright?"

Levi stood there and looked at her for a second, staring back at her as he tried to discern the emotions flitting through her eyes. "Alright," he said, backing off slowly. "I think we should go."

"What?!" cried Elizabeth, smacking herself in the forehead. "Levi, what are you talking about, she's in no condition to travel at this point!"

"She was in no condition to go after you either, but she did and made it out alive," he pointed out carefully. "I think she knows when she needs to be doing something, and if she can do it or not. Let her go if she wants to, alright?"

"No," said Alyse stubbornly. "Amanda, you can't keep pushing yourself like this, eventually you're going to reach the end of your rope...then what?"

Amanda smirked. "Tie a knot and hang on tight?"

"Amanda, be serious here!"

"I am!!" Amanda took some weapons from the walls and wrapped them in cloth before putting them in their traveling cases. "You're just being unrealistic here, guys. I am perfectly fine, see? My leg hurts just a little, my shoulder's still a little tender, and my wrist is weaker than normal. That's it, alright??"

"Are you sure?" asked Libby carefully, stilling holding onto her good wrist with an iron grip.

Amanda looked back at her, her face completely serious for once. "Perfectly sure."

Libby sighed, letting go as she did. "Fine, let her go," she conceded with a shrug. "I'll be with you anyways, and if something goes wrong I'll be there to fix it."

"That's always nice to know," murmured Amanda, rolling her eyes as she did. "Alright, I have the approval of the friend and the physician, now all I have to do is convince my family....great..."

"Why do you want to go so bad?" asked Alyse again. "I know you say you feel as if you must go there, but why??"

"Look," said Amanda, sitting down on her bed as she did. "When Elizabeth was captured by the Scanrans, I knew I had to go after her. Even after you locked me in my room, a plan came to my head to escape unlike something I normally would've thought of and I jumped at the first chance to use it when my instincts told me it was the right time.

"I didn't realize at the time, but when I thought about it later I realized that the same feeling or instinct that was pushing me towards finding Elizabeth has been with me before in fights or like when I rushed out to find Alyse this winter as well. Now that same feeling has come back and this time it's pushing for me to go to Corus. What else should I do but follow it and see where it leads this time around?"

"It makes sense," admitted Alyse after a few moments of silence, Amanda going back to packing while she had the chance. "Alright, you've convinced me too. Besides, with Libby coming along to keep an eye on you, what's the worst that could happen? I mean, I'll be a few days behind you and if something does happen I won't be that hard to reach."

"Let's not go there," piped up Levi, getting an evil glare from Amanda. "Hey, it's true, you know."

"True or not, you keep your mouth shut," she growled. "I do not get into that much trouble. And if I do, I usually get myself out of it as well."

"I know, I was just teasing..."

"You still have to get me to agree," said Elizabeth, giving her a mocking smile.

Amanda smiled, knowing she had her cold. "I don't go, you don't go, you don't get to see Kyle or any of the other guys at the palace until next winter," she said rhythmically, counting it off on her fingers as she did. "What do you have to say to that, little sis?"

Elizabeth struggled with it for a second before going to the door and calling to a servant, trying to remain in control as she did. "Tell the servants to prepare our mounts and things for the trip to Corus," she said tightly, "Grandfather has the lists of everything we need. He will be in charge while we're gone, be sure to tell everyone that while you're at it."

"Yes, milady."

"And make it fast, we leave in two days."

"Yes, milady."

"You changed your mind, Liz?" asked Amanda, tilting her head to the side.

"What's Christmas without any guys?" asked Elizabeth with a shrug. "We go, alright?"

"Alright. Grandfather, you have everything taken care of?"

"Of course, Lady Amanda, I expected you would win..."

Amanda smiled, nodding her head as she did. "You're learning oh so quickly..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby road beside Amanda on Veety with Levi leading the small group and Artman trailing along in the back, keeping an eye on her the whole time and in general making a nuisance of herself in the cute way she always did.

"Time to take another tonic!" she chirped for the third time that day, Amanda turning green just from hearing her say that.

"I'm not taking another tonic."

Libby smiled, resisting the urge to reach over and pinch Amanda's cheek due to the fact that her hand would be chopped off. "Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"It's the blue one that doesn't taste that bad."

"I don't care, I'm not taking it."

"Yeah you are."

"Why?!?!?"

"Because, I'm your doctor and I said so."

"I wouldn't jump off a cliff just because you said so."

"That's entirely different."

"Not really, how do I know you're not trying to kill me with all this stuff? For all I know it could be poisons or drugs that will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Would I do that to you?"

"I don't  know, would you-" *URGK*

Libby smiled as she poured the liquid down Amanda's throat, Elizabeth, holding her head and hands still with her power while Libby finished her work. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," replied Elizabeth, backing off before Amanda could catch her breath from trying to break free and come strangle her for it.

"You both are so dead," croaked Amanda as she swayed in her saddle, the stuff swirling in her stomach and nearly making her wretch it all back up from the motion of the horse beneath her. "Son of a mee crob....you both....I'll kill you for this..."

"Sure you will," said Libby, patting her on the head and nearly getting bit for it. "Hey, be nice Miss Noble lady person!!"

"Aw, shove it you insane mage with no brains at all and just a bunch of dumb inbred as her friend bunnies!"

Libby smiled, having only heard part of that statement. "That's right, I have my bunnies! And don't you forget it!"

"Oh goddess..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse rode with Faleron and the other two ex soldiers down the road, two others from the village who were going to Corus as well traveling with them as helpers and body guards (as Grandfather had asked them to be) in case they ran into any trouble along the way.

"Where are we stopping tonight, milady?" asked the villager to her right, a young maid of about 18 years old armed with a bow across her back.

"At Fief Genvern," replied Alyse, checking the note Amanda had given her before she had left. "Yes, that's right. How much farther have we to go, Jane?"

"At least another hour," she replied quickly, checking some calculations she had done on the distances. "Perhaps less, it depends on our speed and the conditions of the road."

"The weather's fair and the horse's rather rested," added her brother on the other side next to Faleron. "I would say with in an hour at most if things keep up like this."

"We have at least two before dark, so we'll be fine," commented Faleron, checking the position of the sun. "Where's your cousin and her 'keepers' staying tonight?"

"Fief Raindom, the one that Lord James is in charge of," replied Alyse with a nod. "They're at least two days ahead of us, but we might be able to catch them if they stay for his lord's son's birthday celebration."

"We won't," said Jane's brother, Cane. "Wind's shifted and clouds are coming from the east. We'll be getting rain for the better part of tonight and maybe tomorrow as well. If they do stop there to avoid the weather, we'll only stay even with them as we are right now."

"Great," sighed Alyse, shaking her head as she did. "Come on, if we get moving we can make it and get settled it well before it hits us."

Faleron paused for a second, memories clouding his vision as he remembered other nights of rain where they hadn't had shelter. They just huddled together outside, chained to posts as their guards sat under roofs of thatch wit bows pointed at them incase they tried to escape...

"Yeah," he said as Alyse nudged him gently, bringing him back into the real world again. "Let's go..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa grinned as Eric waved goodbye to her from the top of the tower, leaning over the battlements as far as he could without actually falling over. He had been left in charge, as promised, and now she was on her way to a winter at the palace and lots of rest that she hadn't gotten in a long time. She did feel about leaving her troops to the fort to freeze as it got colder into December and through January, but she couldn't do anything about it and right about now it wasn't like she really cared either.

Warm baths and huge feasts flit through her head like images from a forgotten dream, taunting her as she thundered down the road with her escort of four Riders who had also been asked to return to the palace. She would make it to Corus as soon as she, not matter what it cost she was going to hurry there, enjoy her time in the warmth and leisure, then mosey on back when the weather got warmer and she was ordered to return to her post.

That, and with everyone having started out before her she didn't want to fall too far behind before they reached the palace. Amanda had said that with the time schedule they were using they should arrive within the same week. The again, at the time she was rather dizzy and almost completely out of it from the drugs the Mage, Libby, had given her for her wounds so that information may not be entirely right...

Her escort, at least, were decent veterans that she knew she could depend on to get them there safely while she was lost in her thoughts. Not a group of rookies she'd have to keep her eye on or anything. They might laugh or joke around with each other and have a good time, but they knew what they were there to do and they wouldn't let laziness get in their way.

Lyssa closed her eyes for a second and wondered what exactly she would be doing when she got to Corus. Training? Helping with the picking of others to come north? Battle tactics she had learned since her first moment at the fort? Who knew? Not that it mattered, she didn't care what she was doing as long as she got her warm baths, hot meals, and nights without having to get up well before dawn and defend the fort from a midnight attack.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen sat with Mouse and Allie at the table in their room, a worried look on her face as they discussed for the millionth time the meaning of their dreams. "Are you sure a war is coming?" asked Mouse again, rubbing her forehead as she did.

"It was coming in the book," replied Vixen with a shrug. "Tamora Pierce writes in a pattern, the fourth always has some huge finale type thing, like in Alanna's fourth book the war over that river, or in the Circle of Magic Rosethorn's death and being brought back to life by Briar and the others. This war has been thundering along the board since the second book, I think, or at least the beginning of the third. I'd stake my life on it, there will be a war."

"Then how is it going to affect us?" asked Allie quickly. "We're in Corus, why would we need to worry about a fight that's going to take place at the Northern boarder?? We've lost some rogue people and all, but they're not irreplaceable up there or anything."

"That's what I'd like to know," admitted Vixen in frustration. "I don't get it, three dreams all in the same night...a war for sure in one of them proclaiming us fighting the Scanrans. How this will pertain to us, I don't know but let me just think aloud here for a second on what we do know. Mouse, you said in your dream you say someone coming, right??"

"Right."

"Then what if it's someone who can help us, or someone from our world. It could also be an enemy of some sort, yes, but still our chances of it being a friend are very good at this point...either way I think we need to send for Jenny and have her come here just in case. I'm sure she'd like a vacation, and with those at the fief knowing her so well by now she needs to find a new place and a new identity before someone gets to familiar with her and finds out the truth."

"I'll write something up and send it with Sean," said Mouse, getting up and getting some paper, pens, and ink from her bag on the wall.

"You said that your dream was of a puzzle or something coming together?" asked Vixen, turning to Allie suddenly.

"Yeah."

"Ok, then your dream is probably about the groups here in Tortal coming together," Vixen pointed out, going on with her 'thinking aloud' process. "So, if it is them then there are others and we'll be running into them soon, correct?"

"Correct."

"And maybe one of them can help us free Jenny, then we'll all go home or something." Vixen paused for a minute, a picture of Joe flashing across her memory. "Not that I really want to, or anything....at least not yet anyways."

"Waiting until you get laid with Joe before you want to go?" teased Allie, ducking to avoid getting hit as she did. "Hey, no need to get pushy here!"

"Knock it off," growled Vixen, in no mood to be teased right then. "Alright, so we give the letter to Sean, get Jenny hear, hope everything turns out ok and see what the war has to do with us, right?"

"Right."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"Now all we have to do is wait..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sean rode up to Jenny and Stephanie's hut, his horse trotting up the path through the mud below from the recent rains and flinging bits of dirt behind him as he did.

"Sean!!" The young man barely had time to get both feet on the ground before two streaks, on a dark brown and the other blonde, crashed into him at full speed.

"Hey, easy guys!!" he laughed, kissing his sister on the head and Jenny on the lips before they set him down and walked with him to the house. "So, how've you two been?"

"Alright," replied Stephanie, patting him on the back. "Jenny got into a scrap with a bear, but her being the little devil that she is I kind of expected it from her..."

Sean's jaw dropped as he stopped and stared at Jennifer. "You got into a fight with a BEAR?!?!?!"

"Uh...yeah. So?" Jenny ducked her head slightly, looking up at him with big, brown eyes. "I'm alright and still alive, see??"

"Still, Jennifer, a BEAR???  What in the world ever possessed you into thinking you could win that sort of battle?!?!"

"The fact he would've eaten my herd if I hadn't."

"Oh...ok."

They continued on to the hut, talking the whole way and seating themselves at the table to talk some more when they got indoors.

"So, how's my friends in Corus?" asked Jennifer, knowing he would understand that she was talking about the thieves.

"Fine, as always," he replied, pulling something out of his back pocket. "They told me to give this to you. I don't know what is says, but they seemed to think it was pretty urgent to here you go."

"Oh, uh, thanks." Jennifer took it from him and broke the seal before unfolding the note and skimming over it quickly. "Oh my..."

"What is it?" asked Stephanie, taking the note from her and reading it out loud so Sean could hear:

Jenny,

Hey, we have some news for you. Me, Vixen, and Allie all had dreams on the same night that might mean something, and we have a feeling that the opportunity we've been waiting for to set you free will be coming sometime very soon. Please return to the Dancing Dove as soon as you can, we'll have a place waiting for you there.

Your friends,

Mouse, Vixen, and Allie

"Then, you're going back?" asked Sean after a few minutes, realizing exactly what this meant.

"I guess so," replied Jennifer, still completely in shock. "I'll....I'll be free again!"

"You do know we'll miss you here," said Stephanie, reaching over and squeezing her hand in a friendly manner.

"I know." Jennifer leaned over and gave the older girl a hug, starting to miss her already. "Thank you so much, Stephanie, for everything you've done for me and my cats; but I have to move on now. If there's a chance they can clear my name and I can go about freely as who I really am once more, I'm not going to let that opportunity pass by."

"I wouldn't ask you to, either," added Stephanie with an understanding grin. "Come on, let's get your things packed up and the goats tied together, I'll have to take them back to the fief so they can find someone else to watch them instead."

"Oh, that's right," sighed Jennifer, smacking herself in the forehead. "What am I going to tell the lord of the fief??"

"What do you mean 'what are you going to tell him'?" asked Stephanie indignantly. "Your father died and your mother wants you back to help with the work now that he's gone, so go you must. Right?"

Jennifer smiled. "Oh yeah...right....I'd completely forgotten about that. Thank you, Steph."

"No problem, as always..."

"I'll go get your cats and put them in their cages," said Sean, heading for the wicker baskets they always traveled in.

"There's a new one among them," said Jennifer over her shoulder as she went and gathered her things together. "A tom who's become Snowball's mate. Just put him with her, alright?"

"Alright."

"Thanks."

Jennifer smiled again as she put her clothes into the bags she had used when she ran away the first time over a year ago. She was being given the chance to show the world who she really was once more and not fear for her life because of it. She was being given the chance to be free...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sarah glanced up as her new kitten made her way to the door, looking cautiously both ways before she silently slipped out like a shadow into the morning light.

"Where are you going?" asked Jon from the table as he saw her move towards the doorway.

"The kitten got out," she explained, stopping to look at him. "I'm going to go get her."

"Leave her," said Jon, going back to reading the letter some horse breeder had wrote to him in regards to Mandie. "She'll be fine, no one's going to eat her or run over her or anything. It's not like there's cars in Tortal."

"That's true....alright."

The kitten wandered around outside, pouncing on bugs and grasses that moved with the wind until she got tired of that game and moved on to exploring her surroundings. She slipped in under the fence that kept the horses from running loose and scampered around in the tall weeds and flowers that grew there, tumbling backwards as she hit something rather solid that was warm and covered with short hair.

It was black at the bottom and furred a light brown from there. Actually, there were four of them which towered above her, all leading to a large object that had a long extension from it, leaning down to sniff her gently.

 Hello it seemed to say, snorting at her gently. The kitten skittered back a little, hiding partially in the weeds. Chicken the being snorted, the extension (obviously, it's head) coming back up and taking a bite of grass up as she went. I won't eat you, you know.

What are you? meowed the kitten, coming out of the weeds slightly. You're so big...I've never seen anything like you...

A horse replied the being, nuzzling the kitten with the tip of his nose. See? I won't hurt you, I prefer to eat grass or oats over small kittens.

Kittens?

Yes, that is what you are, a kitten.

Oh, right...

I'm Mandie. What is it that the two leggers call you?

You mean the huge creatures that feed me?

Yes, the two leggers.

Um, I don't know...my mother named me Misho before I left her, but the two leggers call me something else.

Then I will just call you Misho. My mother didn't bother to name me, she knew the two leggers would name me and it would be easier for me if I just learned that one instead of two names.

Oh, I see. The kitten paused there as Mandie sat down in the shade, resting her head on the ground as she did. *yawn* I'm kinda sleepy...

Come here and sleep offered Mandie, neighing gently. Don't worry, I will make sure the others leave you alone until the two leggers come for you.

Thank you.

The kitten curled up beside Mandie, quickly falling asleep in the morning sun well before Sarah and Jon came to find her later on that day. They found the horse and kitten right there under the tree curled up together, fast asleep...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle meandered down the streets of Corus, occasionally stopping at a shop or a stall that caught his eye, but in general staying in constant motion as he went from one street to the next. Keeping an eye out for thieves and pickpockets in general, he savored the chance to just blend in with the crowd for once and not have everyone staring at him for being a young Baron, head of a fief before he was even twenty.

He stopped momentarily at a mirror stand to check his reflection when a hawk came out of no where and landed on his ever gauntleted arm. "Hello, winged brother," he said softly, ducking into an alley to escape the odd stares of others. "What news do you have for me or help do you need?"

The sisters are coming replied the hawk. My brother, who you asked to help watch for them, saw them yesterday and asked me to come tell you on his behalf.

"How far are they away?" asked Kyle quickly, immediately setting out for the palace.

At least half a day's flight away replied the hawk slowly. I do not know how fast two leggers can travel, especially on horses or such. But he say them last night as they were coming into a fief several hours away to stay until morning. This he told me this morning after he flew all this way to find you.

"Thank you," said Kyle, reaching into his pouching and pulling out some jerky for the bird to eat. "I appreciate your help with locating them. You're sure both of them were there?"

He said he was sure.

"Alright then. Thank you, winged friend, and good flying until I see you again," said Kyle, letting the hawk soar into the sky before he started towards the palace at a jog, dodging through the crowds and generally making a nuisance of himself on his way to the palace.

The sisters were coming, and nothing was going to stop him from being there when they arrived.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

That it's, my friends. Thanks for reading, I love you all for it ^_^, some more than others, but you know...

The reason this took so long was due to an accident my car got into and the fact that I was driving when it happened. X_X My apologizes, but I was in trouble for awhile and being banned from the computer is the easiest way to ground me, so...yeah...

I'm still grounded, but not from the computer so things shouldn't be so long next time. Thanks to those who reviewed, I appreciate it as always. "Olivia", don't be quite as vulgar in your next review, and you know what I'm talking about to. X P

Love and Peace!!

~crosseyedbutterfly~