COOKIES!!!!! COOKIECOOKIECOOKIECOOKIECOOKIECOOKIE!!! ::snatches cookie away from Seadragon:: Mine…

Disclaimer: I own no TP characters.

ACK!! I know, I know, y'all've been waiting for the next chapter. ::sweatdrops:: I've just been seriously stumped with ideas. But now I'm better, thanks to my newly written fic Stay With Me, which, personally, I like. Now, ON WITH THE STORY!!

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Keladry resented the fact she had to leave her friends – again – without informing them of her reason. But they would be sure to stop her, or go with her. They would tell her to stay, Joren is dead to her, don't linger. And if she still went, they would go too, and then they would all die.

"Damn them," she hissed.

 The black sky, lacking the full moon, reflected her gloomy mood. She rolled her eyes as Peachblossom sidestepped nervously at the sound of a cracking twig, and reined him back in his proper position on the illuminated path. She wished she had her sweet-tempered, unruffled mare, Hoshi, but she was worried that Hoshi would not fight danger if it came her way as effective as Peachblossom would.

"And damn you too, Joren," she grumbled.

She did not mean that. Some things happened that bonded you to people you would rather not be bonded to, and the adventure five years ago was definitely one of those things.

Another twig snapped. Kel glanced around, trained eyes scanning the dark for anything suspicious. A rustled leaf. Another snapped twig. Something was out there.

"Be ready," she told her gelding quietly, Griffon halfway unsheathed. As a bush right beside her rustled, she drew the sword out all the way, brandishing it expertly. The shrubs parted, and a man stepped out.

"Good evenin', darlin'," a man drawled. "Why are you out so late?"

The voice sounded vaguely familiar, like something from a dream or her past. Peachblossom snapped at him. The man stepped back, alarmed.

"What business do you have with me at this time of night?" she asked steadily.

He sighed. "My name's Morgan," he said. "I was sent for a woman named Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan. She's an assassin-spy. Do you know her?"

"Why do you asked?" she asked evenly.

"My cap'n was kidnapped, and my father, one of his crew, asked for the help of said lady. I'm to show her to our ship, where we will take her to where we think the cap'n is kept."

Kel stared at him. She remembered now. One of Joren's friends he had met on his part of the adventure. She knew him distantly, a dark gypsy-boy with lots of hoops in his ears and a bandanna constantly tied around his thick dark hair.

"Hello then, Morgan," she said quietly. "I am Keladry."

She could almost feel Morgan blink. "Nice to see you again," he said, just as soft. "I did not recognize you in the dark. You've grown."

"As have you."

"Come, then," he ordered. "I'll take you to our ship."

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"Who are you? What do you want? Why'd you kidnap me?"

The girl smirked, crossing her arms smugly as she glared at Joren.

"I am Jehani," she announced coolly. "I told you – I'm here to take you to my master."

"Who the hell is your master?"

Jehani wordlessly knelt beside him to undo the ropes. When one arm was free Joren swiped at her; it calmly went through her figure. He gaped in horror.

"What are you?"

She cackled. "Good choice in words, hon."

All the binds were untied. She gestured impatiently. "Come on," she ordered. "We'll meet the rest of the crew."

Great, he thought gloomily, following her out the door. There's more.

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Yeah, I know you hate me 'cause it's so short, but at least it's an update! ::glares sulkily at disappointed reviewers and stomps off::