Any character created by Tamora Pierce is a character that I don't own.

Anything that looks like .: This :.is mind talk.

=Forgotten Light=

Yukimi pried Neal's fingers off their child. She knew that it was time for Cedric to take her back to her crib. She needed sleep, and by the looks of it, so did Cedric.

"It'll be okay," she whispered to her husband as he watched the child go. "If we don't do this, that Master guy might kill our child anyway. Besides," she entwined her fingers in his hand, "Cedric promised that he would protect her."

Neal bit his lip. He was still unsure, but realized that if the Master knew something was up, people--and maybe kids--would die.

Akane sat, watching the slight exchange of parents and daughter. Memories came flooding back of her real parents. How they had held her when she had fallen…how they had cared for her…she sniffed slightly and tried to remember that her loyalties now lay with the Master. He was her brother…her cousin…her father…

She stared at Yukimi. She had abandoned her. She had lived a good life, while she suffered. She should be angry at the elder woman, but Akane felt nothing.

Yuki caught Akane's eye once again. She patted Neal on the shoulder and walked up to the bars. "I haven't heard from you in a while."

"As if you cared." Akane could have cursed herself. She sounded like a snot nosed teenager. She was suppose to act older. She had been living on her own for 13 years now. "Look, you don't know me. You've never known me, so just leave me alone."

Akane turned to go. She would keep watch outside the door. She didn't want to stay in a room with Yuki. It reminded her of too much.

===

Cedric entered his room and lay the sleeping girl in a makeshift crib. He was about to go to sleep himself, when he noticed something move in his room. He stopped in his tracks. "I know something's in here," he murmured.

"You're getting better," he heard the soft whispery voice. He glanced at the corner and saw his elder sister. She was half hidden in the darkness, but he could still see that she had changed into a blood red tunic that matched her eyes and black leggings.

He took a step closer to her, and she took one back. "No, don't come closer."

Cedric stopped in his tracks and glared at Cedar. What's happening to her? "We captured Kel, Neal, and Yuki."

Cedar grinned and winced at the slight pain that it elicited. "I know. Good job, but…" Cedar paused. She had killed a friend that night. The memory flashed before her eyes. Talcon was upon her, ready to slash at her and what did she do? She grabbed at the knife Talcon always had hidden in his clothing and--Cedar turned away from her brother, shaking. "Get out of here."

"What?"

Cedar sighed. "Look, Cedric, I love you, you know that. But…" she stepped into the light and let him see the cuts and bruises on her eyes and face. Cedric gasped at the sight. Never had he seen his sister look so messed up. He took a step forward but Cedar held up a hand.

"Why don't you heal yourself?" he asked his sister. She never healed herself anymore. It always made him wonder.

Cedar walked up to her brother and stopped. She couldn't touch him in her condition. "I love you. Remember that I'd do anything for you, kay?"

Cedric still had no idea what was going on. He just nodded and smiled. "I love you ,too. Why are you acting so mushy? That ain't like you."

"Isn't. Not ain't." Cedar messed up his hair. "Hurry and get out." She glanced at the child in the crib and frowned. "Take that thing with you, too."

===

Daine, Alanna, George, Numair, and Dom rode in the silence of the night. Daine was directing them from what she saw in her eyes.

Alanna had decided that they needed to move quickly and quietly without anyone knowing…Otherwise, havoc could ensue. So, they rode without talk and with little rest.

They reached the camp in about a few hours. Alanna ducked behind a bush as Dom and George followed. She gestured to the men: One of you, go and scout the area. Count the guards on that side, I'll count from here.

George nodded and left.

She peered at the camp and frowned. It was a carbon copy of that other camp she had seen so many years ago. She bit her lip and backed away to camp. Dom was drinking water out of a flask and passed it to the Lioness. Alanna shook her head.

"Now, Lady Lion," he bowed slightly, "you must keep on drinking. You just recovered not more than a few moments ago."

Alanna frowned at him. Was it possible that Neal had a twin? Alanna mentally shook herself. "Forget it, Dom, or I'll tell your cousin that you were worried about him."

Dom looked offended, but the corner of his lips twitched upward. "That's hitting below the belt, my lady."

Alanna was about to reply when she felt something strange in the air. She glanced at Numair and he nodded. There was strange magic occurring. "What is it?" she asked him.

Numair shook his head. He was currently holding onto Daine's shoulders in a comforting way. She patted his hand and said, "Go. I'll be fine."

"I'll watch her," Dom volunteered. He wore a mischievous smile that made Numair frown.

Numair sighed as he followed Alanna to the edge of the mountain. "That was what I was afraid of," he murmured under his breath.

"Quit saying cliché things," Dom called after him.

===

Daine felt Numair leave. She could smell his leaving her…but she couldn't blame him. She could feel the fear of all the animals in the place. They had decided to run away from the particular area…as if they knew something bad would happen.

She felt a rabbit close by and asked, .:What is it? Why are you guys leaving?:.

.:The bad man is spilling our brethrens blood. It will take much of the life here:.

Daine still didn't understand, but the rabbit had hopped off before she could question him some more.

As she was about to search for another animal, images of a feather being dipped into ink came before her eyes. She concentrated on the image curiously. The ink filled feather slid across the paper and began to write.

Wild Mage. Do as I say carefully…

The pen flew over the paper as the hand began to tremble. The image grew blurry, but not before Daine got a good look at the image.

===

Alanna saw George in the distance. He opened and shut his palm five times. That meant twenty-five guards were near where he lived. She had seen twelve more.

"We have to move quickly. The magic is growing stronger," Numair hissed beneath his breath.

Alanna chewed the bottom of her lip as she crawled back to where Daine and Dom sat. She waited until her husband came toward her before she said, "I have a plan."

=End Chapter=

Author's Note: I'm running out of ideas faster than I think I should be! That just means I'm suffering from writer's block…SEVERE writer's block, actually. I have no idea what to do next and where to go or what. I do know that this story needs an ending, so I'll try my best to finish this thing ASAP.