Run!

by ACUTLTTM

This is going to be looooooooong. It doesn't have a genre because there are too many genres. Please read the brief summary inside, this is too small to fully explain it. R just in case. Could someone say if this was uploaded correctly? More soon!

7. Chapter 7

TLT:

Very was stunned. His mouth dropped slightly open, startled by this unforeseen rudeness. Habernill spoke before he had a chance to respond.

"Oh, I can understand that. I chose an awful time to leave my herd I guess." She giggled a girlish laugh. "I tend to do things on a whim, not really planning or thinking about it. But I hope you wont mind if I stay for a few days. I hope to find a nice herd, but I can wait out until spring. I just need to get my strength up a little bit. I have had such a long journey." Very listen to this in a trance. He didn't notice how her voice changed from a country twang, to a southern accent that made her sound completely innocent and educated.

Very simply glared at Gipha and then nodded sympathetically with Habernill. "Of course, a few days, and then I and my lupe friends are going to another place a days travel away. You can go with us, and see if you can find a suitable herd on the way." By now, Very's muscles were stiff from his trying to keep them from wobbling. They were beginning to throb and he wanted to lay down. His perkiness at first seeing Nill had worn away and now he was irritable from pain. "Ma'am, why don't you go and graze a bit while I talk with my friend here about hospitality?" Habernill trotted off to one of the spots Very had suggested ealier, winking at him as she left. Instead of talking with Gipha, Very wandered to the fern pile and lay down without a word, and almost immediately fell asleep.

Tasia:

Gipha's ears burned. Not only had Very assured Habernill she'd be welcome with the herd, he invited her to travel with himself, Gipha and the lupes. She thought crossly, if only she was in full body! Where was that lupe pack anyway? Probably forgot about her, just like- well, that wasn't important. Right now Gipha was looking at Very, fast asleep, a quite content look on his face. She couldn't believe how utterly and totally he had fallen for her. At this rate, he could give up his last food rations to the mare! Oh sure, it was so easy for her, Gipha thought, glaring in Nill's direction. With her fine dark and light coat and the charming way she spoke, she could get the wandering Trab to stay in one place!

Even though she wasn't tired, Gipha laid not far from the fern Very laid on. She wished she could talk to Orora. The white mare was involved in her new family, and with still mateless, the two had drifted apart.

Gipha remembered when she first saw Very. He seemed so shaken up by something, and Gipha had laughed at him. Now Very had befriended a lupe family and for while Gipha -daughter of a free roamer, who vowed never to fear lupes- would rear at the whiff of one! Gipha didn't think it was funny, but she chuckled at the irony of it.

A figment of her reeling mind whispered 'You like him.'

'I don't.' Gipha snapped to her thoughts, but she gazed at him in the corner of her eye. 'Well,' she thought 'maybe a little,'

And for no reason Gipha knew, she imagined a life being Very's mate, having his foals. All of them, red and white and their manes all green and red and black. She chuckled.

'But what's the use of it?' said the voice in her head 'If he's going to run away, just like your father?'

Gipha glared at the space in front of her. She got up stiffly, and made to the bank. Gipha felt suddenly like a bath.

She leaned up against a tree. Noe couldn't see anything in the darkness, but she was pretty sure she had lost the pant devil. She took a whiff of the air. She stopped, then smelled again, just to be sure. It was unis. The new breed, not the kind she knew better. There were three. A stallion, a mare, and a filly.

It seemed they had caught her smell too "Who's there?" a feminine voice cried out.

"Mummy? Mummy?" The filly called.

"Are you this 'pant devil we've been waiting for?" the stallion questioned.

"I'm Pehanoie. I just saw the pant devil. Not a cool guy at all! Tried to eat me!" Noe asked "Who are you?"

Uni:

Frowlickle felt his stomach growl. It was late already, and the Unis were less alert than during daytime. Crawling through the tall grass, he spotted a single Fire Uni.

A Uni all alone ... it'll be an easy prey.

Sure of himself, the Lupe jumped ... and landed in a big pile of mud. Frowlickle gasped in horror as his beautiful white coat dripped with mud; and he couldn't even move: the Uni had trapped him.

"Damn it!" Frowlickle rolled and twisted; but it was no use. He had never been trapped by a Uni before - he felt quite embarrassed.

"Huh?" A voice caught Frowlickle's attention. Turning his head, he saw the Uni looking at him. "Oh ... you're a Lupe, aren't you?"

"I guess I am." Frowlickle grumbled.

"What are you doing here? It's late ... "

"I'm hungry."

"Don't eat me."

"Why not?"

"How could you, anyway?"

"Maybe I'm stuck -" Frowlickle tried to get up, without success - "but I'm still hungry!"

The Uni snorted. "Just don't eat me. I'm Sadee. What's your name?"

"Frowlickle."

"Hum ... I heard of you before. You're the one who got Camarada a few days ago, aren't you?"

"Who's tha'?"

"She was a big brown mare."

"Ah ... her. Well, yes, I ate her."

"Ew ... that's not nice!"

"Well, I needa eat."

"Anyway ... I've got to go home ... bye!"

"Wai - !"

The Uni trotted away, into the darkness. The Lupe growled, and tried to get himself out; impossible. Furious, Frowlickle abandoned and drifted to sleep ...

Tasia:

As soon as he saw Noe was gone, Shiko hopped right onto the scent trail. He followed it to a forest where the sun didn't rise. Even the outer most trees seemed to generate coldness. Shiko remembered this place by the tales. It was the Haunted Woods, the one place, besides the fanciful Talador, were the most darkness was harvested.

"Oh great Noe, if that place is as dangerous as they say it is, you're lucky to be alive!" He plunged into the trees.,

'Why are you wasting your time, Shiko?' a voice whispered inside his head 'You know she's a murderer.'

Shiko ignored it.

Gipha made the air in her lungs heavy. For a time, she loitered underwater. She watched plants sway, she watched bugs moving, so slowly, through their world of green and blue. It was a different world underwater.

TLT:

Habernill grazed quietly. She was hungry, and this was some of the best grass she had had in ages, or it felt like it at least. She mused as she grazed. Why had the pup run off? She saw no other puppies, but she knew single lupe litters were rare. Interesting. Then there was the fact that a family of lupes was living intermingled with a uni herd. That was some she had never seen before. That red uni was strange, Habernill had never felt hatred before, as she knew ways to please most everyone she had come across. This uni was confusing. Habernill shook the thought from her mind, she didn't need to think about that, people had their own opinions.

Her fur had some dried mud in it, as well as dirt lodged in it from flying so quickly. Her hooves weren't the regular shiny brown, and her white fur was more of a cream. Her wings were fine for the most part, but there were still little imperfections in the alignment of the feathers that bothered her. Habernill plunged into the water thinking to her self, Unis aren't known to be vain for nothing!

She swam as deep as she could in the water before using her wings to push her upward and out of the surface of the lake, creating a large splash. She chuckled cheerfully as she ran across the water, using her wings to keep her afloat in the air, while her hooves pounded uselessly on the lake's surface. When she reached the middle of the lake, she flapped her huge wings harder and flew into the sky, then dropped like a bullet into the lake, laughing to herself as she dived deep into the lake.

When she was done having her fun swimming, she climbed out onto the lake shore and shook the excess water from her now gleaming coat. She used a bit of sand to polish her hooves and horn while the sun dried her fur. The sun was warm and she was dry rather quickly, so she grabbed a branch from a nearby bush, and trimmed it of leaves so that it was perfect to brush her mane and coat. She had done this so often before, it took her only a few minutes to get the tangles out of her mane and tail, and to straighten the rest of her fur out. Then she flapped her wings furiously while remaining anchored to the ground, the natural movement of air across feathers causing the snow white feathers to fall into perfect alignment.

Labifron was bored once again. He didn't dare run off again, it was lonelier than here out there. Besides, his mother had already given him a stern talking to, which he tried his hardest not to fall asleep while he listened absent mindedly. His petpet was fun to play with, but after hours of wrestling he got bored of it and trotted off to find that new uni who had saved him. Now that he was happy, rested up, and well fed, he wasn't the same straggly looking pup he was only a few hours ago.

"Hey, Miss!" He shouted before remembering how he wasn't supposed to talk. People got too worked up about those things. Habernill turned and smile warmly at the little periwinkle pup.

"So, you broke your vow of silence I see." Her voice now had no hint of an accent, the words formed the same way as everyone else's in the plains. Anyone who talked to her now would think she grew up here.

The pup smiled at the uni as he nodded. He looked around and held his paw to his lips, telling her to be quiet about it.

He started to run behind her, and waved his paw, indicating for her to follow.

Habernill laughed, and trotted to catch up with the tiny lupe.

Tasia:

Noe's trail was easy enough to follow. It appeared the uniphin never slowed, just always ran at the same speed. Shiko's predatorial night vision allowed him to see the many bushes she had plowed through, and the bark she had scraped. Oh Noe, where are you?

Uni:

Sadee groomed her dark coat with infinite care and grace. Passing a 'comb' made out of a pretty tree branch repeatedly through her mane and tail, and rolling in the tall grass so that it brushed her coat, the filly's body was soon gleaming and the harmonious fire patterns on her mane, tail and legs were bright and colourful.

Sadee licked the dark feathers of her wings, so that they were each in perfect harmony with the others. Finally, the filly trimmed her horn on a rock, so her weapon made sparks. When she was finished, her golden horn was sharper than anything else in the Plains, and it was also gleaming and shining.

Satisfied, the Uni laid beside the stream, looking at the beautiful Fire Uni gazing back at her.

"Always so shy, Sadee?" The voice who called her was soft, melodious, and elegant. Turning around, the filly saw Shagya, her marvelous beauty even more radiant than ever in the morning sun.

Bowing slightly her head, the filly looked at her wondrous friend. Orora's daughter was certainly the most beautiful being in Neopia. Her silver glittering Faerie wings carried her on longer distances and easier than normal Uni wings, and her immaculate coat never carried even the single ounce of dust.

"I was wondering ... where Delta was ... " Sadee replied. Shagya frowned.

"Sadee ... Delta is a Harmony. You'll never be able to see her again ... " Orora's daughter laid a light blue hoof of the Fire Uni's shoulder. "I miss her too ... "

But on a cliff high above them, a mist of light and magic had heard everything. It scurried to its feet, before galloping into the darkness, a halo of light forming around it and giving it the graceful features of a Uni who ran away long ago ...

Delta. This single would have made Orora's pretty face filled with sadness and tears. It would have made Lumino bow his head in a hidden pride. Delta's story had tore many hearts, including Sadee and Shagya's. But that day, as the filly (or at least her mortal form) put her hooves between the other herd mares', there was sudden burst of surprise which turned abruptly into a wave of joy, of tears of happiness, and of pride.
The young Harmony was flooded in compliments, in pleas of protection against the Lupes, and of begs for her return.

But the Uni just laughed, in the same crystalline laugh that her mother had. Shagya hugged her sibling tightly, and cried. Even Sadee, who was always faithful to her timid nature, let tears of joy leak down her cheeks as Delta held her tightly in her wings. The return of a filly who everyone thought was lost had never happened, and brilliant spark of hope shone in the mares' hearts.
Delta's work was done here; she had brought hope to the herd. Slowly, sadly, the Uni vanished, but this time, the herd stayed strong ... they longed for future return of the Harmony ... someday ...

Tasia:

Several Neopians waited in the bushes for the wild lupe to come. Cresture, nicely disguised with a kau morphing potion and a baby paintbrush, was helplessly tethered to a fencepost. Now, she tried to pull off the most carrying, helpless cry she could.

He heard a voice.

"We don't know our names. Or foal doesn't have a name yet."

Shiko slunk forward. Around a tree's trunk and...

"Noe!"

Then uniphin turned. Her eyes looked past him blindly. Shiko realized she could not see in the dark. He felt a little pride.

"Sheek?" Noe called.

"Noe, I'm so glad I found you!"

"Yeah, me too," her eyes wandered. Shiko looked away.

"You smell like a lupe." Shiko looked past Noe, and jumped a inch back. There were three unis, two adults and one foal. Shiko's night eyes couldn't see their colors. The larger and most probably the male had said these words "but you smell like our friend, um, Pay-an-o?"

"Pehanoie." Noe and Shiko corrected, then looked away from each other's sight lines.

"What are you?"

"A lupe." Shiko said.

"And she?"

Shiko looked to Pehanoie. She gazed over her shoulder.

"A uniphin." Shiko said.

"Oh goody, five for the price of three? And they say no one in the Haunted Woods is generous!"

The three unis, and Noe turned their non seeing eyes past Shiko, and Shiko looked over his shoulder. Shiko knew who the shapeless horned creature in front of him was. It was the Pant Devil. He also knew that Pant Devils were cowards. Shiko growled "What do you want?"

The Pant Devil moved back an inch, but otherwise didn't run away "I was sent on a job, to kill three unis, -two adults and a newborn- and take the newborn's body back to my employer."

"I wonder who he means," the male uni mused.

"WHO DO YOU THINK HE MEANS!?" Noe burst. Shiko nearly laughed.

"Well, I think he means us,"

"Kill my baby!?" the female uni called "He may have stolen my memory, insulted me, starved me, but he cannot kill my baby!" she reared, her eyes shot, saliva frothing by her teeth.

"Yikes! I'd better get out of here!" The Pant Devil was gone before Shiko could have a shot at him. All of a sudden he felt he wanted to ring the creature's neck. He turned to Pehanoie "I want to talk to you." he said.

"Oh, I, well," her eyes flickered with inspiration "Can we keep them?"

"What?"

"The unis. Can we keep them?"

He groaned "No Noe, we have to-"

"Well, if you could kindly break our bonds."

Shiko looked to the male, he fought inside his head, then relented "Alright," he chewed the rope in his teeth for a time, until just a few string were left. Then he did the same for the female's ropes, and for the foal he chewed it almost all away. "Now pull." he said.

The uni family pulled. There was a triple crack, and they were free.

"Goodbye." Shiko said curtly, and walked into the forest with Noe. It wasn't long before they heard hoof steps behind them. Shiko turned. The unis were following them! He walked up to the male and asked him why.

"Well, we have no where else to go. Our eyes do not work, which we sense yours do. And besides, we have a foal with us." Shiko knew they were asking him to protect the family.

He groaned "Fine." 'But I really want to talk with Noe,'

Morgan:

Waka had stopped looking scary after a few minutes, so Moya and Mosh felt safe once again. He was, after all, their friend, and had never done anything to show otherwise. It was getting late. Very late. Everyone was seemingly exhausted. Do it once they're asleep, Waka, and if you do it the way I said, there'll be no unnecessary screams to awaken anyone else... Though I don't doubt that you could kill them easily as well, Waka... Akaw hissed. Waka had fallen into the trap, despite his enormous capabilities, even he had limitations. They all landed on a tree branch and quickly fell asleep. All except Waka. Waka was wide awake, heart pounding. He had been betrayed by the only people he trusted. Now he knew not to trust anyone... Except Akaw. Akaw could never lead him astray with that confident hiss of his... Could he? Waka, or should I say Akaw, shook that thought off quickly. The hunt was on. The first victim in his mind was Mosh, the power hungry fiend who had first betrayed his trust. Mosh was sleeping peacefully beside Waka, innocent and clueless. He never felt the life being drawn away from him, his very soul being warped away and stored in a dusty corner of Waka's mind. His body was officially dead. It had been silent after all, and Waka smirked. Moya was so close, and Mosh's soul was giving off enough power to destroy her in a single breath. Waka hesitated for a moment, staring at Moya's pure, innocent face that had a single strand of hair over it that moved in and out as she breathed. After a split second, the hair no longer moved. She was dead as well. Waka had been dreaming, when suddenly his eyes opened. Akaw had possessed his body and killed his comrades in HIS BODY! Akaw had started to cut Mosh open, and Waka was the one with the blood staining HIS CLAWS! He himself had massacred the innocent, sleeping beings. He, and no one else, could take the blame. Waka found Akaw smirking, having created a body from the little flesh he had managed to take from his friends before Waka awoke. He chuckled menacingly, and Waka glared at him. Never before had he felt such rage! It was eating him alive and one thought rested on his now primordial brain. Vengeance. He needed to avenge his friends. He glared at Akaw, and his flesh shriveled. His gloating laugh, already silent to Waka, had finally been banished from Neopia forever. At least at the moment that reassured him as he bowed before his fallen friends and wept. He was miserable. He had killed them... How strange my tears looked in the moonlight, he thought. Indeed, the glistened rather oddly as they hit Moya and Mosh, and they evaporated quickly. He turned away suddenly as a howl pierced the night.

Ally howled at the full Moon, Kreludor. She had awoken from a terrible dream in which her pups had been massacred and none were left to her. Wh-where are my pups?! She thought desperately, searching high and low until... She saw. There were 11 little bodies lined up in a straight row, all still and silent. Not one stirred. 11 petpets stood in front of there masters, even in the afterlife their spectral form guarded the bodies. Ally collapsed, thunderstruck. There were no words for this...

TLT:

Habernill and Labifron talked a little bit, mostly Labifron thanking her, and Habernill telling stories of neopia, her home, her old herd, and why she was wandering. They heard a heart wrenching howl come from the lake shore. They looked at each other, puzzled, and ran back to where everyone else was. 11 puppies had been killed, along with their petpets. Labifron was completely confused as to what killed them. The unis were subdued, wondering what happened...

Habernill hadn't even noticed the lupe pack. She was skittish now, something had killed those pups. She remembered the story of how a lupe took its revenge with Anita's pups; Labifron had told her about it, though he barely remembered. She hadn't even met Anita, who was sullen, ignoring most everyone but her only puppy. Habernill was worried, paranoid. She walked over to where Very lay and nuzzled him awake. He was as startled as she was about the puppies, though he had met and talked to the lupes before. She told him how worried she was, and he agreed they should leave. Very went over and talked to Jauck, who, after looking at a startled Anita, agreed that they should head over to Kauvara's.

Jauck went over to where Ally lay mourning. "Ma'am? I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my puppies recently, and I know how it hurts. But please, could you lead us to Kauvara? The mysterious Kau who can heal my friends. Anita grows more restless and frustrated daily, Very is still trying to hide his pain, and I don't feel this is a safe place to raise my only pup. We are ready to travel when you are, and I would appreciate it if you would hurry. Please ma'am."

Morgan:

Ally led the others to Kauvara. It had been only a few days since Ally had had to bury her precious children and their petpets, and they had found the cause of death. They had been struck down with a terrible disease that would only affect Uni-Lupes and petpets that had been around them. Ally had seemed to lose her soul. She moved mechanically, no emotion in her eyes. She returned with the potions and handed them out. Wuff did the same, with no emotion. They had no heart left, it seemed, until... Ally got the same symptoms as she had before the pups had been born. She was pregnant once again. the thought of pups seemed to destroy Ally and Wuff from the inside out. What if it happened again? What if they all were killed? What if they ran away? What if? What if? What if?! Constantly ran through their minds. They returned once again to Kauvara, though Ally knew what to do, she wanted Kauvara's help. Maybe she could make a potion... Maybe they wouldn't all die. Ally couldn't stand that thought. Maybe they would live... Ally could only hope. She had little hope left, but continued on trying to keep that hope alive. She had only five pups this time. They would be born soon. It was only a matter of time now...

Tasia:

Fay felt sick about the death of Ally's pups. Phunis took this opportunity to bring her back to their shared den. However, he did not let Fay in for quite some time. Fay was outside the entrance, pacing and saying "How sick is that? Three of Anita's puppies- then eleven of Ally's, and her twelfth is gone too! How does that make sense? They were so young. They didn't get to go on their first hunt, and- and, get a mate, and- and- and-"

"Okay Fay."

"Huh?"

The big green lupe had emerged from the den. He dropped something at Fay's paws. It was dead. It reminded Fay of the dead pups. Then she looked at the shape. "This- is a chia."

Phunis grinned "Yep."

"You- you- killed?"

Phunis blinked "Yes," he said "But, I did it for you, Fay."

"You killed a chia!"

"Why are you so-"

"On my skull, Phunis, this is what gives lupes a bad name! Remember when Ally and Wuff vowed no killing?! Well I think this is what they meant!"

"Fay!" he found himself yelling "I had to kill!"

"But I didn't think you'd do it!"

He was looking at her confused. Fay couldn't stand it anymore. Tears in her eyes, she plunged into the den, and she didn't know what she was crying about.

Gipha blinked at the white lupe, so cold she acted. She blinked. All this loss in such a short time, it didn't make sense. Gipha shook her head. She couldn't be involved in this any more.

Gipha drunk down the potion Ally had given her. Near immediately she felt the bones in her wings break- it was painful! but then build again the correct way. The bones in her chest healed, and after the process was through, she felt as if she had as much energy as a filly!

She ran on the stretch of land next to the water, then took off into the air! The wind took her unmanageable locks and slapped her face with it, by Gipha could not feel better! She had not realized how much this uni, so against flying, had missed the air. She giggled despite herself.

They stopped in a clearing that had minimal light by the moon so that the female uni could feed her foal. Now Noe and the unis could see each other's shapes, and Shiko could see their colors. The male was black, and female was red, and the foal was a deep, blueish back.

So strange, unis that didn't know their own names. They didn't even remember when they were foals, as the female stated. It was as if they were both suffering an advanced case of amnesia.

Noe was playing with the filly. Shiko approached her "Oh, hi, Sheek." her eyes moved away. The uniphin had not said anything of more substance since the uni family had joined them. It disturbed Shiko.

"Come on, Noe, let's go talk."

"Oh, okay."

"We may not have names," the mare was musing as the filly rested against to her body laying on the ground "but at least our daughter deserves one."

The stallion nodded "I like the name Gipha."

"Oh, Gipha! Neat!" said the mare, but as she looked at the foal she frowned "but, she doesn't look like a Gipha." she closed her eyes "Funny, it's almost like I remember something. I seem to remember the name- Fratylia."

"Fratylia, Fratylia..." the stallion said, as if tasting for poisons "No, don't like it." he said "You right about remembering though. Thereda comes to mind."

The mare looked like a frozen ixi.

"Uh oh, did I say something wrong?" the stallion set his nose by hers.

"By the Faerie Queen, I remember now!"

"Your kidding, you remember when you were a filly?"

"I do! I remember every thing! And my name! It's Thereda!"

"Well, I guess we can't name our daughter that,"

"Oh Trab, listen! I remember!"

He blinked "Well look at that, I remember too!" he smiled, as all the memories flooded back to him "We love each other!"

"Yes," she smiled "But there is someone else I love more than you."

"What? Who?"

"Well I'm thinking! My daughter. Our daughter. Her name is-"

"Gipha!"

"Yes! But- she needs something. We were supposed to help her."

"Her wings are broken. I remember."

"Oh!" she moaned "Why have been far away from her for so long?"

"Um, because we forgot who we were?"

"No, because there was a storm! We ended up here, the haunted woods, and no one would help us..."

"Then that gelert, which we called master, he offered us a free spin on...on..."

"The Wheel of Misfortune!"

"Certainly was misfortunate for us."

"We have to get back to Gipha."

"But what about our guides?"

"So, what did Daquinti tell you?" her voice had terrible hate in it.

"Oh, I wasn't listening."

"Of course you were! Of course she told you why I was banished from the herd!" she looked leftward, as if focusing on something far away.

There was a long pause. Shiko said "Tell me what happened."

"Why? You already know."

"But, I just can't believe that-"

"Well you'd better believe it. I really did take my brother out into the icy water- and I really try to make him learn to swim." her eyes glowed with warmth "But, I was stupid. I thought I could make peace between the unis and peophins." she started to shake. "And, and, and-" then, taking Shiko by surprise, Noe screamed. She screamed as if some animal were eating out her heart. After the yell was over, she screamed again, and her eyes drowned with tears. Shiko wanted to run away, but he told himself no.

He felt warmth near him. The stallion was standing next him, looking at Noe in horror. He gave Shiko a look that said, 'Should I help?' Shiko shook his head, no.

The two waited while she finished a third scream, and she said hoarsely "I didn't, I didn't, I didn't,"

"You didn't what?" Shiko said gently.

"I didn't know!" the last word scraped her throat, and Noe sobbed.

Shiko took a few tentative steps toward Noe "What didn't you know?"

"I didn't know, that, that, that, the fellies-"

"Yes?"

"They were poisonous! I was immune! I didn't know, oh my god I didn't know,"

"What happened?"

"He died. Flarazil. Oh, Flarazil! Flarazil Flarazil! Oh my god you're dead! Oh my god, I killed you! I killed you I killed you I killed you! No! Flarazil! No, no, no..."

She crumpled into a living hump of sobbing uniphin. Shiko watched her for a while. Then he did something he didn't expect to do. He started stroking her ears with his tongue.

TLT:

Very gulped down the potion the lupes handed him. It burned as it traveled down his throat, but once he managed to choke it down, he felt wonderful. There was a hiss in his chest and the pain disappeared. His strained muscles were relieved and it no longer hurt to stand. He reared and flapped his wings, whinnying in joy. He flapped his wings hard and took off at a gallop. He jumped into the air and flew for the first time in a long while, or so it seemed. Habernill soared next to him, flapping her huge wings slowly so she wouldn't fly past him.

Jauck gingerly took the bottle Ally handed him and took it to where Anita lay. Her eyes were glazed over, her fur had a dull shine, and there was no spirit in her eyes. Jauck nuzzled her. She turned and gave him a blank stare. Jauck wanted to howl in grief. His loved one, the lupe who stole his heart with her energetic, puppy like ways, was almost gone. She lived for the hunt, for the taste of blood, for running non stop for hours at a time, playing, leaping over obstacles, chasing Kaus for the fun of it. Not being able to walk, eating only day old dead petpets, being able to do nothing, not to mention the emotional strain of having three puppies killed, then the remaining being lost for even a short period of time had killer her spirit. She had nothing to live for, nothing to do.

"Honey, drink this." Jauck pleaded. Anita nodded, but turned away to stare at the waving grass of the plains. "Sweetie, please." Her empty eyes turned back to him. She lapped at the contents of the bottle, and felt fully invigorated, but there was no reason to move, so she didn't. "Anita... Stand up, honey." Jauck wanted to howl again, to shout his rage. "Stand up, just stand up baby." Anita's feet shuffled awkwardly underneath her, and she finally stood up tall. A spark of life went into her eyes, but left as quickly as it came.

Jauck didn't know what he was seeing. He stood in front of her, and made her walk forward. The spark came back into her eyes fleetingly. He forced her to walk more and more, shoved her, nipped her heels to get her to run. There was a dull glow in her eyes, but nothing like the bright shine that there used to be. She still responded listlessly to most things. Jauck was broken hearted. He couldn't hold it back and let his grief show through a short howl of despair. Then he laid down next to his broken mate and cried as silently as he could as she just stared at the rolling prairie.

Tasia:

It was then that she spotted Very. She flew up to him, not noticing the mare by his side, and whinnied in a playful way. The she dove down, silly, and full of enthusiasm, for today she could be a foal.

Morgan:

Ally was at Kauvara's having just delivered her new pups and was trying to figure out what to name them, when suddenly the door blew open. It seemed as if nothing was there, but Waka appeared suddenly out of thin air. He had tears in his eyes. He looked at the pups in shock, then noticed something. None of his original siblings were here. M-mother? Where are the others...? Waka soon realized that that had been the wrong thing to say. Ally remembered that he was deaf and wrote down a note.

Waka... Your siblings died. They got sick and... All of them died, even the petpets. I'm sorry... But why do you have tears in your eyes?

Waka looked up from the note, a scared look in his eyes. M-mother, I killed a faerie and my own petpet because Akaw told me to... He took over my body and... He trailed off staring at his siblings. They were all girls. Mother? Can I... Can I name them? Ally didn't refuse, too shocked that Waka had killed, but she got over it quickly. She wasn't sure how, but she understood what had happened.

((A/N: New Uni-Lupes (I'm not going to kill these off... Really!)

Morgan: Silver Lupe with Blue Eyes and Gold Wings. A tiny little pup only half the size of average pup. Wants friends, loves to be helpful. BAD luck. Lonely all the time, a pig who will eat every bit of food set before her, hungry or not, attempts to be polite, trusting, EXTREMELY gullible, daydreams often, obsessive, clingy, loves collecting things (including collections), and loves to sing (and is very good, according to the Lupes... Not sure if Zonk had anything to do with that though...)

Zonk: Black Lupe with ice blue Eyes and Purple & Black swirled wings. Dark, evil personality, very strong, loyal ONLY, and I mean ONLY, to Morgan, and she would kill anyone who tried to hurt her intentionally and occasionally even if it was an accident. Quick-trigger temper. Cares about Morgan to the point of obsession. Dangerous.

Nagrom: Yellow Lupe with Green Eyes and Electric Blue Wings. Insane, mood swings, strong, innocent, evil, everything all at once, but for the time being no one knows that she has an evil side. A lot like the real me.

Nami: Gold Lupe (but not really shiny, I mean realistically gold) with Brown Eyes and Light brown wings with darker hieroglyphic markings. Wise, insightful, and powerful, with abilities to make people do as she says, slightly bossy, regal.

Moya: Light gold (lighter than Nami) Lupe with sky blue eyes and white wings. Kind, innocent, happy go lucky, smart, wants friends, loyal, and gentle unless something (and that something would have to be something very terrible for her friends) makes her angry enough, and in that case you need to RUN. FAST. Her eyes turns stormy grey, her fur turns fiery, and her wings turn dark dark dark red in that situation. She also triples in size. She becomes SCARY. She would sacrifice her own life for the life of another without hesitation.))

Waka had named them after the sisters Moya had told him about. They each had the same elements in them as her sisters had. They had magic if could only tap into it. Not psychic powers, but magic! Waka felt sad as he left his mother. She knew he needed to leave as well as he did, but that only just barely helped the sadness of separation. Waka was alone, and he knew it. He had just left the bodies of his only friends behinds, both covered in his strange looking tears... Waka had reached the forest once again. He closed his eyes and repictured himself as the night sky color he had been and entered. But he bumped into something that almost made his heart stop. Muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh...MOYA?!?!?!

That's my name, don't wear it out! Yeah... I knew Akaw would possess you sooner or later, but I knew you would come back. Your tears looked strange for a reason, Waka. You released our souls back into us when you cried for us. Mosh is alive as well. Shall we go, Waka? Without another word, Moya and Mosh glided out into the woods, Waka following every step of the way. They eventually came upon Thereda and Trab with their little foal...

Tasia:

A creature came in the middle of the night, and whispered into Thereda's ear. She whispered it over and over again. Then, she flew away, as silently as she had come.

"Trab, how about Kriahz?"

"Kriahz? But what an old name for a girl."

Thereda looked at her crossly "It's a fine name, and it's her name from now on!"

"Well, no need to get upset about it,"

Shiko came running back to the party, panting "I saw the sunlight!"

"You're kidding," Thereda said.

"No! I saw it! Follow me!" Shiko ran, and the equines followed him, throwing their heads and laughing. Oh, to be free of the world of darkness! "We're almost there!" they pushed on with an extra jolt of energy. However, they came to an abrupt stop.

There was a humanoid figure there. She had dark complexion- dark blue, almost black eyes, and hair. Her skin was a lighter blue. The oddest would have had to been membranous wings growing from her shoulders. Shiko and Noe looked on with confusion, but Trab's nostrils grew wide. "Dark Faerie!"

Shiko gasped "I've heard of these creatures! They're the vilest!"

"Well you heard right," Trab said, "They'll eat your soul."

"Um, excuse me. I'm right here." the dark faerie's voice resonated from her chest "And you're wrong, Trab."

Trab's eyes slitted "How did you know my name?"

"I've been watching you. All of you. And there isn't much time. Trab, Thereda, I must give your foal a new name."

"Don't listen to her Rede! Dark faeries cannot be trusted!"

"Oh, here we go with the "Dark Faeries cannot be trusted" again. Look, if you won't listen to reason-"

"DUCK!" The party ducked.

"I wasn't going to hurt you. But I might have to. But please, listen."

"She'll tell you a curse that will paralyze you!" Trab said.

"Oh come on!" Noe exclaimed "she hasn't tried to hurt us yet. Why don't we give her the decency of just listening to what she has to say?"

"Thank you Pehanoie-"

"She's a dark faerie, Noe."

"Oh. And I suppose because I'm a hybrid that you don't trust me either!"

"Noe, that's entirely different." Thereda said.

Shiko made two shrill barks "Come on your guys. Noe's right. She's a person, and you should give her a chance."

"Oh, so now you side with the hybrid and the dark faerie?" accused Trab.

"Aha! So you admit it!" Noe exclaimed "I'm no more than a-"

But her words were cut off, for while the four animals were arguing the faerie had set a paralyzing spell "Now you'll have to listen to me." she said. "Now first of all, my name is Magik."

Kriahz was bored. She had liked Magik from the start, she felt the faerie was someone she could trust, but her parents didn't like her. Why? And why were her parents and Auntie Noe and Uncle Shiko fighting all of a sudden? Kriahz didn't like fighting.

She wandered into the woods. She loved the haunted forest! She loved all the little animals she could find, which didn't follow normal laws of physics. Some had one eye, or no legs, and some where even made out of mud! She loved the darkness, and the wonderful feeling of blending into it she had. She loved the odd sounds of the haunted forest- croaks, caws, hisses! Kriahz walked, experiencing her world.

She stopped. Something was there. Something was there watching her! Kriahz whipped around. Who? Who was it?

TLT:

Gipha flew toward Very. She acted playfully, and he joined her. Habernill smiled warmly at the playful young mare, but Gipha ignored her. Habernill resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at the red mare.

Very dove down into the lake, and held his head up above the water, beckoning for the two mares to join him.

Tasia:

Oh no, but you have entered my dominion! she noticed Habernill now. She laughed and, made a one time motion, hey, come on! Gipha dove into the water, twenty feet away from Very. She sunk down to the bottom, and waited for exactly the right moment to take him by surprise.

"I'm a very old faerie, in fact I was the very first of the element oriented faeries- I guess you can say I am THE dark faerie. I know what you're thinking- dark faeries create evil. But it is not true. We do not make evil- though we can form concrete things from the stuff- nor are we made from evil. Evil is a thing that has been in this world- even before the faeries. No creature is devoid of it in their hearts, not even light faeries. So it is from the earth that monsters rose- the pant devil, the swamp devil, the esophagor, just to name a few.

"Fyora, like so many, does not realize that evil is a thing just as important as good. Death is as important as life, pain is as important as hope- because you see, without those bad things, there would be no good. The fabrics of our world would simply, uncoil." the frozen animals were silent. Magik had no way of telling what they thought of her.

"So Fyora told me to get rid of all the evil in the world. I told her I couldn't do that, but what I could do was create a land where most of the evil is harnessed. You know it now as the haunted woods," she smiled to herself wryly "I suppose it fits. But you see, the haunted is not for the mortal." she looked Thereda in the eye "Your daughter was born in the haunted woods, yet she had the body of a mortal. Do you know what that could do to the order that the world works at? I- I don't know!"

The animals stared at her blankly. Shiko looked as if he was going to pounce "Oh!" Magik cried, and snapped her fingers. Shiko flipped over by his sprung reflexes. Noe looked around, nervous. Thereda stared at Magik. "What are you saying?"

"See what she did?" Trab cried "Did you see? She put a spell on us!"

"What do you suggest?" Shiko said softly.

"You must not let your daughter leave the haunted woods. It is the place she belongs."

"Do you think I'm crazy? Leave Kriahz in this hell hole?"

"Please listen, Thereda. There is an evil spirit here, newly arrived. He is blood thirsty, and would do anything to get revenge. He gave your daughter his name!"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Please, if your daughter goes out into the world, he will use her power to come back, but this time more powerful than ever. You must listen to me!"

"And what is her power, exactly?"

Magik slumped "I don't know."

"That's it. Get out of my way, or I'll trample you to death!"

"Please! If you don't leave her here, at least change her name! You can give her mine."

"Kriahz has a beautiful name!"

Shiko growled "I think I know who the monster is here!" he jumped at her. Magik was so surprised, she fell to the ground.

The lupe bit at her, but Magik easily healed her wounds "Please! I don't want to fight you, Shiko!"

"Sheek!" Noe called "Go for her wings!"

"No! Not my wings!"

Shiko grabbed one wing. It ripped away like another layer of skin. Magik screamed. The pain was terrible! He grabbed the other wing, and pulled it away. "Please, stop," Magik called in a weakened voice. Shiko- he had always been so full of heart- he backed away.

Magik shivered. Her color changed. Her thick hair became thin, she grew gaunt. She looked down at her gray hands sadly "I foresaw this." she said it so quietly not even Shiko's acute hearing picked it up "Our only hope now is the ill fated foal and the lupe/uni."

Morgan:

Waka stared down into the clearing at the foal. He just watched her for a moment, she was searching for the one who had made the rustle. It had been Mosh, but Waka found he didn't care much at all. Waka flew down into the clearing and appeared before her. Hello, who might you be little one? I am Waka and these -- Waka motioned to Moya and Mosh -- are my friends. I am young as well... I am only a few days old, but I grew quickly. Interesting, ne? He eagerly awaited her reply.

Ally stared down at her little babies, just glad to be alive. They would be safe... They had to be... Kauvara had given them the medication to prevent that awful disease, and they would live. Ally loved them, and they got along so... Well, well wouldn't be the word. Morgan was so much smaller than the others... Half their size! Ally noticed Zonk protected her with her life and it was adorable to see in a pup. But Zonk had hidden powers, apparently, because the day after she was born, a Chia Police Officer came a-knockin' at the door, ready to take them all to the pound. Faster than a black lightning bolt, he was dead, his paw still weakly holding Morgan. Zonk lifted her gently and brought her back to Ally like nothing had happened. She gained respect from all present at that moment... But all she did was lick Morgan gently, cleaning the Chia's blood from her fur. Zonk had no regrets about killing, and only sought to protect Morgan. That was her goal in life, to make sure Morgan would never be harmed. Unfortunately, Morgan had awful luck.

TLT:

Habernill hesitated. Gipha had beckoned her to come join them in the lake. Habernill had just spent so long primping and preening, she wasn't sure whether to go back in and ruin it all. She smiled, and flew up high high into the sky again. She dived, using her powerful wings to propel her downwards, faster than a rock. At the last second, she stalled, her great wings spreading out and flapping keeping her suspended less than an inch above the water. She laughed at Very's astonished face. She flapped her enormous wings again, and disappeared under the water suddenly. She swam a ways then went above the water, spanking the lake surface with her wings, sending a wave toward where Very and Gipha's heads bobbed. Habernill laughed again, took in a deep breath of water, and dove under the surface.

Tasia:

The creature Waka had called Moya was similar to Magik. As for Mosh, well, Kriahz had seen plenty of animals like him before. Waka himself looked a lot like Uncle Shiko- what kind of animal was he again? A lupe. Except for he had wings like his parents had. However, the impression Kriahz got from looking at him was most like Auntie Noe- a feeling of not belonging, of two things trying to be one thing. Also, Kriahz felt the winged lupe was like her, it wasn't just their age, it was something else. Something Kriahz didn't see.

Waka spoke in a funny way. Kriahz heard the words in her head. Kriahz at the shear spontaneity of it, how wonderful this world was! She was so young, yet she had seen so many things all ready!

She tried to mimic what he did, it was certainly a neater way of talking than those undignified barks and whinnies the adults would make! She searched her brain, and found something that might work I'm Kriahz! she said and, laughed delightedly at her own words. She said And I'm not that little. I'll grow up to be bigger than you. I know. Your a lupe. Shiko is a lupe. He's as tall as I am! I'll be as big as my Momma! she said proudly, then she continued I have friends too. But there not here. They're yelling at Magik. I think Magik's cool, but I guess they don't. Oh well. That's okay. If they were here they'd probably yell at you too. she said all this, with the childish feeling that everyone thinks the way the one does.

There were two young animals in the grass. They were bigger than the meowclops, but young enough to take down. Perhaps not the lupe, but the young uni, who's wings were undeveloped, the meowclops licked her lips.

"Time to finish her off," Trab said extending a hoof. He made to land it on the grey faerie's temple. Suddenly, he found his feet clamped in a pair of jaws. He was thrown off balance and flung to his side. He looked up. Shiko was standing there- no look off viciousness or possession on his face. "What is the meaning of this?" Trab shouted.

"Trab- look at her. Faeries are useless without their wings. Magik is a grey faerie now. She's more weak than- a chia. Just let her be."

"But, she's a dark faerie!"

"Not anymore."

"Shiko's right," Thereda chimed in "she can't do any harm now."

Trab hesitated. Then he got up. "Fine."

"Um, guys?" they heard. Pehanoie was looking around "Where's Kriahz?"

Gipha pushed herself from the bottom of the water. She came up, just out of Very's eyesight. Not as fast as Habernill- a pang of jealousy rocked her, she subdued it. She came out of the water, and splattered him! Then Gipha was rolling in laughter "Oh Very, poor Very!" she laughed.

TLT:

Gipha plunged under the water, and so did Habernill. Very looked around, slightly confused. Habernill suddenly surfaced, and flapped her great wings, sending a wave toward him. As soon as Very managed to shake the water from his head, Gipha popped toward the surface near him, splattering him with water again. He gasped, took in a deep breath and suddenly remembered what happened last time he had decided to swim in the deep water. Without a word, He flapped his wings and kicked his hooves until he had swum out of the lake. He lay in the soft grass on the shore.

Habernill looked at him curiously, but decided it wasn't worth stopping her fun. She had to clean up anyway, might as well make it worth while. She flapped her wings again, rising above the lake. She hovered there, her snow white wings flapping slowly, wondering what to do next. A feather fell from one of her wings. She watched it float slowly down. Habernill studied it, then started flying in circles around it, closing in slowly, until a whirlwind had developed and the feather flew out of the top of the spiral. A simple game Habernill enjoyed. She paused, wondering what the other people watching her thought, and laughed at how they must think she was crazy, and laughed harder imagining what they must think of her laughing to herself.

She finally flew down beside Very, and fell asleep in the warm sun.

Uni:

The white Lupe had licked his brilliant fur clean, and was watching the female Alpha in the morning light. It seemed that she had little ones, but he couldn't be sure. Taking a deep breath, the Frowlickle walked forwards, towards the Alpha ...

"Greetings to you, great Alphas," Frowlickle bowed low before Ally and Wuff. "I am a Hunter from another pack, whom I left for their cruelty. However, my knowledge had helped me to survive, and I lived by killing the Unis in solitaire.
I wish to have company, for I don't like being alone. So it is with sincerity that I ask to join your pack. I am not a bad hunter; I can tackle even the keenest Unis, and my skills may help you and the new generation survive in the Plains."

His little speech being finished, Frowlickle sat down gently, and curled his tail around his legs.

The Herd

"How could you!" A clear, beautiful voice erupted in the high mountains of the Plains.

"Shagya ... "

"No, Delta ... no ... that Lupe has killed two more of us! How can you imagine, you, a Harmony, how can you imagine the pain that I felt when Camarada got killed? Why didn't you keep Barato alive? He was her best friend! And Fraetia? The wisest of the herd, the oldest mare ... gone! Gone! Why didn't you protect us? Why?!"

"Shagya ... "

"Enough ... that's enough ... " Shagya shook her silver head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's over ... but it's because of you!"

"Shagya ... "

"No ... "

"Shagya!" Delta was imperiously calm, and her voice was soothing. "I knew Camarada, I saw Barato, and I worshiped Fraetia. I know the pain you are suffering - "

"You don't!" Shagya neighed furiously, her radiant face covered in tears.

" - of course I do. If that Lupe killed three - and only three - of you, it's because I prevented him from killing you all. Frowlickle is a brave Hunter, the best of his kind. Sadee would have died if I didn't make her invisible - "

"If Sadee ever dies because of you," Shagya said in a voice full of menace, "we won't ever pray you again ... and me the first!"

"Shagya ... be reasonable. That Lupe attacked the weakest of you - "

"Of course not! Barato had hooves of steel ... Camarada was agile as a Draik ... and Fraetia was wiser than any other Uni!"

"I couldn't prevent the Lupes from eating, Shagya. The everlasting laws of the Faeries are active on Harmony, too. Although we are more powerful than any other living creature, the spells that bound us are solid. I couldn't - "

"Why didn't you let him kill me, then?" Shagya was flooded with tears - her fury and sadness had no limits.

"Don't be foolish, Shagya. You're the next Lead Mare ... " Delta said softly.

"Why do you even care?"

And with that, a burst of silver light erupted from the mountain, took the form of a shooting star, and joined back the herd.

Next time the Lupe will attack, I'll be sure that Delta regrets it ... And, eyes full of tears, the shooting star landed amongst the herd, quiet and desperate ...

Tasia:

There were claws on her back! Kriahz whinnied and reared. What was it what was it what was it? It was a meowclops! Kriahz kicked the creature off her back. It went flying into the air, then fell against a tree. Kriahz approached it.

That was a very bad thing. What do you have to say for yourself?

Kriahz notice that the animal had a yellow eye, with a very small black slit- given the darkness of the haunted woods. But as Kriahz said her words, the meowclop's eye changed. First of all, the pupil grew bigger, and adjusted to the dark, and also the eye color changed from yellow to green.

The meowclops mewed cautiously, then began to purr. She took a few steps to Kriahz.

"Aw! How cute! I'm going to call you Dito!"

Their ears perked as they heard a whinny.

"That's Kriahz!" Trab exclaimed.

"This way!" urged Shiko.

Kriahz lifted an ear and sighed That would be the adults. I guess you'd better hide, Waka.

Uni:

"Honey ... please ... you can't deny that you won't be a Lead Mare someday ... " Orora nuzzled her beautiful daughter, and smiled warmly.

"Mother ... why should I? Fraetia had never been Lead Mare ... "

"That's an exception, Shagya."

"Why can't I be a Wild Roamer?"

"Honey, please ... I've lost Delta, I don't want to lose you!" Orora beamed warmly at her daughter, and stroked her with a wing.

"I'm - I'm going for a walk ... "

"As you like, dear ... " Orora said, looking a bit sad and upset.

Meanwhile

The white Weewoo fluttered as quick as lightning through the trees of the Haunted Woods. It had spotted Thereda and Trab, but they were surrounded by a Lupe and Lupe-Uni cross.
Landing on a branch a few miles before them, the Weewoo began to sing melodiously, and softly, gently attracting the group's attention. It then landed, and slowly transformed itself into a copy of Lumino.

The false Lumino swished its white tail and advanced to Thereda and Trab, frowning slightly.

"Rede; Trab ... your daughter has been healed by a Lupe pack, so your mission is over. Lumino - for I am just one of his illusions - awaits you all in the Endless Plains for the ceremony that will greet your new daughter - and hopefully, you too, Trab - as a member of the Herd. I will lead you back, but you must make your choice here, Trab: do you want to join your daughter and mate, or will you remain a Wild Roamer? You have two choices ... please decide and give your word now."

The Herd

Lumino pawed the ground impatiently, snorting every five minutes. Fratylia laughed at him, and tried to calm him by saying that they'll return soon.

" - And I really doubt they will, because even if they do manage to escape from the Haunted Woods, they won't be able to come back here if their lives depended on it - and they don't."

"Come on, Lumino ... " Fratylia giggled.

Tasia:

"Lumino!" Thereda cried "It's really you! Well, not really..."

"Lumino," Trab said and lowered his neck "I must apologize for being so late. It's very strange what happened but-"

"Trab!" Thereda called "Kriahz!"

"Oh, that's right. Well, I'll tell you later. Right now we need to find our daughter."

Morgan:

Waka looked at Kriahz, shocked. She could speak to him. He recalled what she had said after a moment, having gone off into lala land at the lyrical quality of her telepathic waves. She had said that he should leave. He was surprised with himself at how much that thought dismayed him. He did NOT want to leave, and who cared who came. He just wanted to stay HERE, with HER. It shocked him at the strength of these emotions, but he got used to it pretty quickly. N-no, Kriahz, I'd like to meet these people and stay with you -- He shot a meaningful glance at Moya and Mosh, who realized (more so than Waka) what was going on, and they agreed to stay. He silently thanked them, ignoring the strange yet happy looks on their faces. Th-that is, if you don't mind, I mean... If you really want me to go...

Morgan smiled at a young Lupe that was nearby, admiring his shimmering fur. She had been following him ever since after Zonk had saved her. Unbeknownst to her, Zonk followed her every step of the way. Morgan walked up to Alex, the Lupe she had been admiring, and he backed away. She disgusted him. She was hideous, he could NEVER love her like she loved him. In Neopia Central, Morgan (who loved love and hated hatred) had fallen head over heels in love with an Orange Lupe named Frankie, but they had had to leave him behind. He had pledged to be her mate when he found her again, but they both knew that they would never see each other again. Alex was the only Lupe her size. Everyone, except Zonk, said they were cute together and, gullible Morgan, had believed them. She turned to him, hurt in her eyes, and said, "A-alex? I need to tell you that... Aishiteru!"

"What did you say?" He was curious, Morgan often spoke in Japanese and he wanted to know what she had really said.

"I... I said... I said I love you!"

Alex backed away, slowly at first, but then he turned and ran. Morgan's heart broke, and she began to cry. Zonk, with her super-strong senses, smelt her salty tears and got mad. REALLY mad. She needed to kill the person responsible for this... This travesty! She snarled, and slowly crept off after Alex. He was chuckling to himself about "The Beauty and the Beast". It was obvious who the beast was. "Ahh... Alex. I hear you speak of... A mutant, is it? Well, I hope you aren't talking about Morgan... Oh, from your expression, I'd say you are. Prepare to die, fool of a mortal!" She lunged at him and dragged him off far far away to the pound. She would've killed him, but she realized that Morgan was standing behind her, breathing heavily as always (the meaner Lupes said she had "Kau Breath", but she really just had lung problems), and Zonk didn't want her to see that. This would be just as bad, being a slave. Zonk thought for a moment. No, she wasn't a slave, Morgan would never've let her do anything for her if it bothered her at all. No one besides Zonk knew why Zonk was so protective of Morgan, maybe they never would. "Hop on, Morgan." Morgan looked shocked. She shrugged though, and happily climbed onto Zonk's back. She curled up between her wings and slept quietly. Zonk flew them both home quickly, trying to get home before dark. Morgan hated the dark, being alone, and spyders most of all. There was more to it than that, though... Zonk knew everything about Morgan, including things that Morgan would never admit. Like how she felt like everything was her fault and she was ugly. Morgan weighed nothing to Zonk as they landed beside the napping Ally. Morgan still slept soundly, as always, and Zonk knew she was okay. She had to get Frankie back for her, but Zonk was so jealous... Her sister needed her, but when Frankie was around she only needed him. Zonk needed to be needed, wanted to be wanted, and hoped against hope that someday that she would find someone in the world to love her. Morgan was no mate, that was a definate thing, and Zonk wanted to fall in love. She sighed silently and curled up to sleep through yet another dreamless night.

Tasia:

Kriahz blinked. Waka was acting so strange all of a sudden. She began to answer him "I-"

"Kriahz! I found you!" Kriahz looked over. The talking inside her head required a lot of attention, and the blue gray lupe had come upon her quite expectedly. He sent a howl through the woods. A few minutes later, a red mare, and black stallion, and a green black uniphin came up behind Shiko.

Thereda rushed almost directly to her daughter "Thank Fyora I found you! Never run off again, you hear me!?"

Kriahz just looked at her. Why didn't she talk like Waka? It was better, in Kriahz's opinion.

The was a gasp. Three unis and a lupe turned. Pehanoie made the sound "Look at the baby!" she rushed over to the winged white lupe pup. "Oh Sheek, can I keep him?"

The gray blue lupe blinked "I, uh,"

Thereda stepped purposely to the lupe pup "Why are you wandering the woods alone? The haunted woods is a dangerous place and, oh- I hate it! Why are you hear without your mother?"

Kriahz groaned. Just as usual, they had turned her fun into boringness, asking stupid questions of her new friend. She tried to make it past her mother, but the uni wouldn't let her through "No no no Kriahz," she cooed "obviously this baby is an orphan, it would just hurt it too much to see another baby with her mother!" but the words went past Kriahz. When tried again, Thereda mumbled "Trab, get her, will you?" so the black stallion blocked Kriahz's path, and pushed her with his giant head away from her mother, Noe and Waka. Kriahz made sounds of protest, but ultimately she lost the battle. Kriahz was VERY mad at her dad. To prove this, she turned her back on him, and made a point not to look at him.

Morgan:

Waka just stared, slightly confusedly, at the new creatures in the clearing. He knew they were moving their mouths, but, being deaf, he had no idea what was going on. He couldn't read their minds at the moment because they were in the Haunted Woods, and that prevented him from using most of his powers. He actually didn't mind. This way, Akaw couldn't kill his friends again. Maybe he should stay here... He thought about that idea and started liking it more and more. A strange idea popped out of nowhere and he voiced it "aloud". Kriahz? Could I give you a new name? Like a... Nickname or something? I think you would seem like a... Well, like a Mystyk. But maybe we could each get a new name, my name means "I don't understand or I don't know" in Japanese, and Wakarimasen doesn't seem to suit me... What do you think? Also, what over Kreludor is being said around here? I... I'm deaf. I can't hear anything and so I have no idea what is going on. Kriahz, you can tell me, right? He was worried that they were laughing at his mute stupidity. Kriahz, also, umm... I need to reveal something to you. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and transformed. He was himself again. Anyone who had ever known or met him before could now easily recognize him for who he was. Why was he dropping his mask so easily for someone who was almost a complete stranger?! Truth be told, he himself had no idea. He waited anxiously for her reply, worried that she might leave him and return to her own kind. Moya and Mosh were nice and all, but he felt... Differently about Kriahz. He could hardly describe it, save one word. Joy. He was so happy when she was around, but now he was afraid he had offended her since she had her back to him, but... He had no idea. He needed her reply to decide on anything.

For once in Zonk's life, she was having a dream.

There were angry Lupes 3 times her size surrounding her. "Get away, FREAK! You can't even decide what form you want to be! Just CHOOSE, ok?! A Uni or a Lupe?!" Zonk just scowled. What did she care about the others? She was a loner, she couldn't care about anyone else! She turned around sloothely (yes, I made up a word to describe a lot about her. Sloothe. Mixes: Sly, slick, smooth, slink, and slow altogether.) and found herself facing a Lupe with wings that was a fraction of her size. She was curled up in a little ball crying. Zonk, the lone Lupe with no feeling felt something deep within her snap. She cared about what happened to this little being. "What... Is your name?"

The little creature sniffed and opened up. She wasn't ugly, but her face was stained by tears. "I... I am Morgan. I shouldn't have cried... It's stupid... All they did was tell the truth... Why would they lie? It must be true..."

Zonk felt her breathing and pulse rate go up a notch. Morgan's voice was almost a squeak. "What did they say to you, Morgan?"

The Lupes were unsettled. Zonk only spoke before she killed in their experience. Morgan looked strangely at them, but finally said, "They just said that I can't sing and... That's the only thing I'm really proud of. Stupid, ne?" Zonk growled, and the other Lupes ran off to their own pack. Zonk had never been able to decide between being a Uni or a Lupe. She was a shape shifter. She suddenly grew wings, but Morgan was unfazed. "Would you like to come with me? My mommy said not to go too far off, but I forgot and... Can you help me, please?" Morgan looked as if she was certain Zonk would say no and leave her there, but Zonk lifted her onto her back and flew her home. "Mommy Mommy Mommy! I found a friend, Mommy!" Ally smiled at her, but her gaze froze on Zonk. How could she look so much like the pup she lost? Ally unfroze and welcomed Zonk. Zonk had finally found a home... She knew Morgan's troubles and never wanted to see her cry like that again.

Uni:

The false Lumino raised comically an eyebrow, smiling.

"No need to excuse yourself, dear friend. Lumino knew very well from the start that you'll be late. But - er - you'll still need to explain what happened, though ... I can't promise that he'll not be in temper." The illusion chuckled, and continued, "Anyway, I think that finding your daughter - er, Kriahz, was it? - will be easier if you fly."

Tasia:

Kriahz was surprised, and she took a moment to answer.

A new name? But I like my name! But, Mystyk is also pretty she laughed What's being said? she continued Noe wants to keep you. My mom says she needs to take care of you...find your mother, and she's wondering why your not answering her.

"What's the matter with him? Is he stupid?" she heard. Her father was at her mom's shoulder.

"Great!" Her mom cried out "Now we have two stupid babies!" and all of a sudden she started to cry. Kriahz wasn't expecting it. She trotted up to her mother, but the red mare wouldn't meet her eye. Noe and her dad moved away from Waka to condone her mom. Kriahz came near Waka and smiled at him Now, my mom says we're both stupid. she rolled her eyes Probably because I don't talk they way they do. Well, it sounds dumb! then she remembered that Waka couldn't hear Well, I mean, erm,

"Please Shiko? I'll teach him how to run, and how to talk, and how to graze!"

"Lupes don't graze Noe," he said "And no! This is not a petpet that will survive in the wild if you don't take care of it! No, when we leave Trab and Thereda, they will find it's mother, or find a lupe mother that will take care of it."

"Oh great! You and me and the baby are going to go alone!"

"No, the baby's going with her mother."

Noe looked sad but said "Okay." she said more quietly "We don't fit in with anyone else anyway."

Shiko grinned "That's right."

Morgan:

Waka stiffened at the word stupid. STUPID?!? Oh great, now Waka was m-a-d, MAD!!! Before he had just run away, but now... He couldn't just leave Kriahz here. He spoke to her, Moya, and Mosh, but no one else when he said Kriahz... Come with me. Let's go deep into the Haunted Woods and forget about these creatures! I was called stupid before... By my brother and sister, no less. I ran away then, will you come with me now? He now spoke to everyone except for Kriahz because he didn't want her to get the headache that would ensue. Moya and Mosh blocked out his telepathic waves, knowing what was coming next.

I AM NOT STUPID! YOU ARE THE STUPID ONES! LEAVE KRIAHZ OUT OF THIS! WE ARE AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF BRAIN CAPACITY THAN YOU, NOT A LOWER ONE!!! JUST LEAVE NOW, AND NEVER RETURN! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL CHILD AS KRIAHZ! GO AWAY! BAKA DESU!!!!! You could DEFINATELY tell that he was mad. He had even resorted to Japanese. Now the best thing to do would be to listen and RUN. Hopefully, for their own good, they would leave. But Waka wouldn't just leave Kriahz. He couldn't! He returned to his previous conversation with Kriahz, Moya, and Mosh. Hey, Kriahz or Mystyk or whatever you'd like your name to be, why don't you give me a new name... I don't really like it much... Yet again he awaited her reply.

Zonk had woken up from her dream because she noticed that a warm weight had vanished from her back. Morgan was gone. She sniffed the air and picked up Morgan's scent right away. She raced after it, paws not even touching the ground. She was flying, searching for Morgan. Breathing heavily and heart racing, she noticed a small form in a ditch below her. She dove down to it. It was Morgan. A pack of gigantic Lupes surrounded her, poking at her small body and laughing at her wings. Morgan was shaking with silent sobs, but she refused to cry. Zonk headed straight for the Lupes who were now howling out insults at Morgan, telling her lies about everything from life to her own appearance. Zonk had never been more angry in her life. She walked over beside Morgan and nudged her. Morgan looked up in a shocked way. She was covered in tears but had no physical evidence of being hurt. Zonk turned to the Lupes, who were backing away. She lunged at them and tried to hurt them more than anything they'd ever felt before in their lives. She did not kill them, no she just hurt them. They returned some of her blows, but she was too fast. They ran off, but she didn't stop them. She didn't want to leave Morgan again.

"Zonk...? You..." Zonk thought she knew what was coming next. Morgan was going to be afraid of her now. She didn't want that, but continued to listen. "Your... Zonk, you're hurt!" What?! She hadn't been expecting this! Morgan walked over to her, examining her numerous bruises. Morgan looked up at Zonk and pressed her paws against each of the bruises. In a matter of minutes, Zonk was healed. Morgan took a few wobbly steps and then fainted. Zonk rushed over. Morgan had a bruise in every place that Zonk had had one. She had taken on Zonk's pain of her own free will. Zonk's mind had only the instinct to protect Morgan and take her home, and one thought. Why...?

Tasia:

Kriahz looked at her mom, her dad, Noe and Shiko all groaning from headaches. She looked at Waka. She would have loved to go into the Haunted Woods with Waka, and be called Mystyc, but mostly, stay in the Haunted Woods. Kriahz didn't know why her mom and dad wanted her to leave to meet people named "Gipha" and "Lumino" and something called "the herd", she hated it! The Haunted Woods was her home, didn't her mom and dad get that?

However...they were her mom and dad. She thought for a few moments, then she said She said I can't go. I'm sorry. And I wanted to me Mystyc too. she thought, wait, I don't have to leave my parents to be Mystyc! I can be Mystyc! She smiled inwardly, and said My name is now Mystyc but, I don't know what to call you. I'll think about it. I promise!

"What was that?" her dad said "I feel like I was hit in the brain."

"You felt it too Trab? What was that? I feel sick," her mom said.

"You didn't hear it?" Noe perked up, though she was a little shaky on her spindly legs "He most definitely said I AM NOT STUPID! YOU ARE THE STUPID ONES! LEAVE KRIAHZ OUT OF THIS! WE ARE AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF BRAIN CAPACITY THAN YOU, NOT A LOWER ONE!!! JUST LEAVE NOW, AND NEVER RETURN! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL CHILD AS KRIAHZ! GO AWAY! BAKA DESU!!!!! Or, something like that."

Her parents and Shiko blinked "Who said that?"

"Wakarimasen."

Kriahz blinked. How did you know that? Waka didn't tell you his name.

"Oh, I just knew, Mystyc."

"Noe, who are you talking to?" Trab raised an eyebrow

"Mystyc. Your daughter."

"Um, Noe, our daughter's name is Kriahz, and our other daughter's name is Gipha." Thereda said assertively.

"I know. But Kriahz changed her name."

Thereda looked exasperated "The quicker I get out of here, the happier I'll be! Personally, I think the curse of the haunted woods is starting to go to your brain, Pehanoie. Come on. Forget the pup!"

"Thereda?"

"LET'S GO!"

The group started to move out, Shiko leading the way by following their own scent trail. Mystyc wanted to go with Waka, but she knew she had to stay with her family...for now. She gave him a sad look that said "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do," and said Next time I see you, I'll have a name for you!

Morgan:

Waka's heart broke as he watched Kriahz run away from him. She couldn't leave! He couldn't be happy without her! He felt like crying! There were no words to describe this... This pain! He made a quick decision, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and changed form again. He turned into a cloudy gray Lupe with Blue Eyes. He had no wings, and his scent changed to that of salty tears. He chased silently after Mystyk, matching her step for step. When they reached sunlight, it hurt his eyes so much that he was blind for several minutes. It didn't matter, he followed his nose and turned invisible for a moment, but he was in such a rush that he wasn't truly invisible. Still, all anyone would've seen would be a heat haze thundering across the plains. Moya and Mosh did the same, and three heat hazes were no madly rushing after Mystyk. When the chase was through, Waka simply watched Mystyk, watched her for hours on end. Moya and Mosh would've laughed if they hadn't known that Waka would've killed them again if they had. He wanted his new name and he wanted to stay with her, and he now knew that the quote Moya had once said to him "Parting is such sweet sorrow" was stupid beyond belief. Parting, in Waka's mind, equaled pain.

Ally was shocked at Morgan's condition when Zonk woke her up, and that was a given. Morgan was bruised all over, crying, unconscious, and feverish. She was catching a disease with her weak immune system. With Ally's permission, no doubt because she could fly, Zonk flew Morgan to Kauvara, and waited outside all night and into the next day. She noticed three heat hazes and a Uni foal, but that was all. She was in a daze, scared stiff about Morgan.
((OOC: Zonkthinking Mattythinking MattyZonk's maternal instinct over Morgan. Yes, all of my characters have split personalities, but this one is only oing to show up for a little bit, sorry.))

Oh Zonk, now you've done it! Now Morgan's going to die from YOUR injuries! It's all your--

SHUT UP! LEAVE ME ALONE! I'm scared enough for her as it is... I know all this already, and it's my and those Lupes' faults... What will I do if my only friend in the world dies trying to save me... What would I do?!

You would go into a depression, kill any Lupe fool enough to cross your path, cry silently but have no one to help you, and basically torture yourself every day thinking about your one mistake.

It was a rhetorical question.

Oh.

Just then, Kauvara came out to tell Zonk the news. Morgan was extremely ill, and only one thing in Neopia could save her. The Water Faerie named Moya needed to bless her. Moya needed to help because she could create Healing Water that would work on hybrids. Moya sometimes tampered with wind, but it always ended badly. The trouble was, Moya had vanished a few days ago without a trace. Zonk didn't care and raced off to find her. Morgan would live... She HAD to!

Tasia:

Once they stepped to the edge of the forest, Kriahz said her first words aloud.

"On Fyora's crown look at all the animals!"

Trab and Thereda exchanged glances. There were no animals on the plain. It was empty, and furthermore the grass was dead this near to the Haunted Woods. But, it was nothing to worry about. Kriahz had finally talked!

"That's wonderful honey!" Trab said

"I'm so proud of you!" Said Thereda.

Why were they acting so stupid? Didn't they see them? There were thousand- no, it must have been millions! Unis and lupes and kaus- so many that they must not have had spaces on their own! And certainly, they didn't. They overlapped- stepped right through each other! It was as if they didn't even notice each other. There were males, females, babies, children, teens, adults- there were a lot of old pets.

Some pets looked very strange- There were a couple of giant red furry elephantes that moved slowly over the landscape and two giant brown skeiths, relaxing in the sun. There was a mass brown kaus with three horns, and saber toothed kougra which stalked the landscape.

In the distance, Mystyc spotted a herd of strange unis. Their body shapes resembled Noe's. Most were grayish, and they had double horns on their faces. The unis ran, throwing their manes in the wind and laughing.

In front of her, there was Shiko. No, it wasn't. It was a blue gray lupe, a female, and she looked very lonely and sad. She looked at Mystyc and said "My den was flooded. My last baby was in there. I can't find him."

"I- I'm sorry," confused, for like it.

The lupe put her head down, so that it near hung between her front legs. Then she walked foreward- she was going to walk into Mystyc! Mystyc moved to get out of the way, but not in time before-

Suddenly, Kriahz started yelling. "No! No! My babies! Help! I have to get to them! Koryan! We have to get the babies! We have to save them! Cresture! Shathio! Sheskedy!" then she gasped "Komoshiko's still in the den! Koryan! Shiko!"

"Kriahz what are you talking about?" the blue gray lupe barked.

The little filly and crumpled to her knees. Tears streamed from her eyes "Th-th-there was a flood. My den was going to get flooded, so I moved my babies up slope. But the river swept up me and my mate! And I left Komoshiko in the den to drown!" she paused "But I wasn't me! I was somebody else! I was that lupe!"

"Kriahz please! It's okay- it was just a dream! You don't have a mate and well- I'm right here. Everything's fine."

The little filly blinked at him and mumbled something.

"What?"

"I said my name is Mystyc."

Shiko cast a worried glance to Pehanoie, who was frolicking with a buzzer.

TLT:

The pteri peered through the branches of its tree. It chirped a melodious note. The small lupe it was watching looked up, but seeing nothing, turned away again. The pteri puffed its chest out indignantly, and flew to the ground next to the lupe puppy. The pup crouched down to look in the tiny birds eyes. The pteri fluffed its feathers up and smoothed them down again and, her eyes glinting menacingly, pecked the lupe square on its nose. The lupe howled and scuttled backward, holding its throbbing nose. The red colored bird strutted around the ground, its arrow like tail making sweeping arcs in the loose dirt.

Suddenly, it turned toward the cowering pup, and looked it in the eye. Labifron was tempted to swat at it, like it had done to him, but its beak was remarkably sharp.

"Praise Fyora! You're an honest to Jhudora puppy! Neopia hasn't gone completely crazy after all! Actual baby pets, not those hideous painted monstrosities!" The pteri squawked loudly, its wings resting on its hips. It peered into Labifron's eyes again. "Well, young lupe, where is your trainer?"

Lab looked at her, confused. Fyora? Jhudora? Neopia? Painted pets? Trainers?! "T-Trainer? M-My parents are over there..." Lab pointed toward the lake.

"Parents!" The pteri half screamed. "No trainer?!" A look of horror came over its face. It tripped over its feet trying to get away, flapping its wings uselessly. "LT! LT! Oh no! LT! Its attacking! Its going to eat me! AAAAAHHHH!!!!!! LT!!! This wild lupe is attacking!" The pteri collapsed on the ground in the middle of the clearing.

Labifron sat motionless, trying to figure out what it was doing. A rustle and a voice came from nearby bushes. A very tall creature stepped out, walking on two legs, covered with mismatched cloth, and fur growing only from its head.

"Oh Fwanta...." Labifron heard the creature sigh. The pteri peered through feathers of its wing, and hopped to its feet at the approach of the strange creature.

"You didn't need to come LT, I was just about to beat it. It wasn't doing anything." The pteri waved its wing as if to dismiss the idea.

The creature ignored her, and crouched in front of Labifron. "Who are you, if I may?"

"Labifron," His curiosity overcame his fear and he asked a question without thinking. "Who are you? What are you?"

The creature laughed. "I am a human. Like your owner. My name is TheLoneTiel, but call me LT. That red pteri over there is Fwanta, my lab rat. Now where did you say your owner was? At least he took that horrible bandanna off after he painted you baby."

"LT, I told you, its wild. Its an actual baby pet, not painted." The pteri interrupted.

Labifron nodded. "I have no owner. How can you own a lupe? Very said everyone belongs only to themselves."

"Very, eh? Mayhap his full name is VeryVain?" The lupe nodded again. "Hmm. So that's where the scoundrel ran off to." Seeing the look of confusion on the lupes face, the human explained. "He came to Neopia Central a while ago. He was obviously lost, so I let him stay at my place. I adopted him. Then one day, POOF he disappears. Never saw him again. I did a search, and it said there was nothing in neopia with that name." LT shook her head, her dull gold hair swaying back and forth. "He's okay isn't he?" Labifron started to say otherwise, as he wasn't there when Very got the Healing potion, but the human looked at her watch and snapped her fingers. "Nice to meet you Labifron. I am glad not every neopet is held captive by stupid humans. But Fwanta here has a date with the lab ray. If you'll excuse us..." The red pteri flew to her shoulder, and the pair disappeared though the brush.

Very was fast asleep on the lake shore. His muscles had atrophied from non-use, and he was tired from his little excursion. He was awoken suddenly, when a periwinkle blue lupe pup landed square on his stomach, knocking the wind temporarily out of Very's lungs.

"Uncle Very! Guess what! I just met a weird bird and a human!" The pup jumped around excitedly, his fear from a few minutes ago completely gone.

Very pushed the pup off him and got groggily to his feet. "Slow down Fron. You say you met what and what?"

"I met this red bird. I think they said a pteri. It was called Fwanta. And then it called this creature, named LT, and it came out and picked it up and started talking about owners and brushes, and babies and.." He was interrupted by Very.

"Calm down, kiddo." Very had frozen when he heard the name LT. He had braced himself when he heard Labifron talk of Humans, but he had no idea he would have met LT... "So, You said you met a Pteri. Tiel always said she wanted. How bout a lab ray? She say anything about that?" Lab nodded.

By now Habernill had woken up, and was listening intently on the conversation. "Where are they now?" She had a hint of hatred mixed with fear in her voice. Habernill forced back horrid memories of humans.

"Oh, she said they had a date with that lab thingy. I don't know where they are now." A look of relief came over both unis faces. In the distance, there was a howl, distinguishable only by Labifron and his sensitive ears. He looked up then ran toward it without a word, leaving the unis completely confused by his behavior. They looked at each other, shrugged, and settled down to graze, Very leaving the sweetest weeds and grass for Habernill. He was curious about her interest in humans, but he didn't have the courage to ask her about it. Maybe another day that wasn't quite so perfect as this one...

Tasia:

((A/N from Morgan: I've given up on spell checking this thing! I'm sorry, but there's a long way to go still and I don't have enough time to finish! Sorry!))

Well, fun the initial rush of being well again was over. Gipha had used her wings so much they ached. There was a deeper ache inside her- to run, and forget about the entire world- forever. Every day Gipha would either catch a sound of a herd of kaus in the distance, or spot dams teaching their foals to run, and today it was the sight of a red pteri- a creature with the ability to fly anywhere it wished- that set her heart ablaze.

And then the thought came to her- why not just leave. Orora- she had a family now. Lumino- he wasn't bound to take care of her now that she was healed. Her parents- well, they were dead, most likely. As for Very- well, getting away from the stallion would most probably make it easier for the both of them.

Gipha began down the slope, for the last time. A voice inside her head scolded 'So your just going to leave? without ever saying good bye?'

'No one would miss me that much.'

'Maybe. But you would miss someone.'

Gipha groaned 'Okay, but I'm going to regret this.'

"Good afternoon Very." the words came haltingly "This is, sweet grass, isn't it?"

"Wont you stay with us, Komoshiko?" Trab pleaded.

"I can't. You see, Noe and I are, well, we only belong with eacother.

"Oh, how cute!" Thereda gasped, then stopped "A lupe and a uniphin...I guess it runs in the family."

It took a second for Shiko to get the joke "No, no, we're just friends. I mean, we're loners. That's the only thing we can be. I'm sorry."

Trab looked into his eyes for a moment, then said "Shiko, come over here." Trab lead him away from the group, and behind an apple tree. "You are young. Did you ever belong to a pack?"

Shiko's neck tightened- his pupils retracted "Yes."

"Then why, ever, did you leave it?"

'Why?' He thought spitefully 'Why? When I'm involved with those murderers, when all the weaklings were killed and I'm the one that deserves to be dead? You ask why?'

"I'm a runt." he said "I don't belong with a pack."

"Very odd," Trab said "How did a runt like you survive for so long?"

"Luck, probably." 'I've been waiting to die.'

"Well, your wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"You're wrong. You are an excellent contribution to any pack. You have incredible strength for a runt- I saw it! When you flipped me over- I was quite shocked! So much strength, from a little lupe."

"That wasn't strength. I just wanted you to let that faerie be."

"Oh sure, belittle yourself!"

Shiko flicked a misquito from his ear "Are you done?"

"Shiko, I was born a free roamer. But days of loneliness have taught me something, and it's that a uni isn't meant to be alone. And I believe, neither is a lupe." he paused "Please, spare youself years of heartache. There is a lupe pack we are on friendly terms with. You may join it! And, Noe, she will be welcome by Luminos herd."

Shiko knotted his brow "Oh, is that right? Yeah, you'll welcome her alright, but you'll talk behind her back, and you'll call her, hybrid! And, and, you'll accuse of murder! Well guess what, Noe's not like that. Now if you don't mind, Trab I'd appreciate it if you'd stop wasting my time!"

Shiko was all set to leave the uni family, but when he cam back to Noe, Thereda appproached him and said "Thank you so much, Shiko, for running with us. We really appreciate it and, besides, you helped us in the forest. You really must let us repay you."

"Excuse me? Noe and I aren't going with you."

"Oh, but we are," the uniphin put in

"But, they have Lumino now!"

"However, the spectre cannot protect little Mystyc from an attack."

"Would you stop calling her that!" Shiko barked "Look, we have to part ways!"

Noe frowned "Please, Shiko? I already promised them."

Shiko groaned. He looked first at Noe, then at Thereda and her filly, and finaly Trab who was looking bewildered "Oh, fine. But just for a little while."

Most of the strange animals which plowed through each other only seemed to see Mystyc. Some smiled at her, others looked at her sadly, a few asked her questions Mystyc had no answer for. By now Mystyc knew that there was difference between these animals and her family, though she couldn't place what it was.

As for the creature her mom and dad called Lumino, he was even stranger than the weird animals. These animals seemed real, and her family seemed real also, but in a different way. However, Lumino only seemed half real.

Once in a while, one of these stange pets would intersect with Mystyc, and she would get a sudden emotion- either terror, sadness, or contentness.

Mystyc was getting exhausted from feeling so many emotions, and it forced the group to stop. Even Noe and Shiko were tired from calming Mystyc. Her mom cried on her dad's shoulder "She's not stupid, crazy! Crazy! Oh Fyora my daughter's crazy."

Mystyc rolled on her side. Maybe she was crazy. Despite being emotionally and physicly drained, the Filly didn't sleep. She watched the intersecting animals- they unnerved her- and wondered if she was crazy. First of all, there was Waka, he spoke a language that no one- except for maybe Noe and everyone knew she wasn't a whole animal- but her understood.

She lifted her head. Waka! She had to think of a name for him. Now, what was a good name for a deaf lupe puppy who- was the most interresting being she had ever met? She dozed off, thinking about it.

She woke up. Something was different. She looked around. The animals were gone!

The sun was securely hidden just beyond the horizon, which gave an eerie blue look to the sky. The moon was huge, and it's sickle shape reminded Mystyc of a white version of Dito's pupil.

There was a sound- the cry of a kau. Mystyc gazed over the slope and spotted a furry brown kau with three horns and a big black lupe chasing her. He was beautiful, Mystyc thought. His muscles moved like a river, each united with every other muscle. His ears swivled in a second, his legs were like steel. Mystyc could only stand still and watch.

And she watched the lupe overcome the kau. She saw his dig his claws into her flanks, she saw her fall, and she heard her cry. She watched the kau try without success to get up each time, only to have the lupe disable her more. Finaly, the kau could fight no more, so the lupe tore out her larynx and it was done.

However, he didn't eat the kau afterwords. The body disappeared into the wind. The feeling Mystyc had was not fear or horror, but instead amazement. Mystyc found herself approached the lupe, just as his neck swivled and he looked upon her. Startled, she stopped.

He laughed good naturedly No reason to fear. Look, I got rid of all those animals for you.

Mystyc's eyes were wide You talk like Waka!

The lupe laughed Telepathy is universal for those with the gift.

What is your name?

I am Zhairk. He made a low bow Wonderful to meet you, m'lady.

Mystyc giggled.

Zhairk looked over his shoulder Oh dear, the sun approaches. she looked at Mystyc sadly I must leave you, I fear. But not to worry, I will come back tonight, I promise! he made a long slow blink I cannot leave a beauty like you for long.

The first glimpses of yellow bordered the horizon, and the black lupe was gone.

Morgan:

Waka was looking at Mystyk when he noticed that her mouth was moving. She was speaking aloud, he supposed. He decided, out of curiosity, to delve into her mind and see what she saw, hear (he hoped) what she heard, know what she said, and every other little aspect of her. He didn't want to hurt her privacy, but he was so curious... He reached into her mind, and was blown away. Sounds... There were SOUNDS! He had always been deaf, and the sounds were strange to him, and they caused him pain. He shut ouyt that part of her mind and focused on sight and what she was saying. His eyes opened in shock. There were... Millions of ghosts! Mystyk could see dead neopets! This could be a very good th-- His thought was cut short as he was thrown out of her mind. He could only stare in horror as one of the ghosts (which he could now see because he was now aware of them) slid into Mystyk!! He screamed silently to himself, not aloud though because he was mute. She began to cry, and the scent of her tears drove him to the brink of insanity. Breaking his vow to remain silent, he said to her Please, Mystyk, stop crying. Are you... Alright? I know what happened but... Oh, please just stop crying! His own eyes were filling with tears. He hoped he hadn't scared her, and waited for a response.

Kauvara had given Zonk an article of Moya's clothing, and she, like a hound, was diligently following the scent. It drove her straight toward a tall tree on the outskirts of the Haunted Woods where Moya was hiding invisibly.

TLT:

Very was grazing quietly, mulling over different thoughts in his mind when Gipha came and stood right next to him. "Good afternoon Very. This is, sweet grass, isn't it?"

Very grazed for a minute, the silence building up until a bursting point. He slowly raised his head and looked at Gipha. "Yes, this grass is fine. Plenty of it too." he said, giving the red uni a cold stare. He slwoly turned his head toward Habernill, then back to Gipha. His eyes lit up, as he realized something for the first time. He looked back between mares quickly, and a smirk arose on his face. "Very fine grass." He repeated. "Why don't you join us? There is enough to go around." He reached down and plucked a dandilion from the grass beneath him. He handed it to a flustered Gipha, and then settled down to graze again.

Uni:

Shagya flapped her pastel wings as she soared freely over the Haunted Woods as easily as if she was racing on ice. Her clear blue eyes spotted Thereda; the red mare that she had only dreamed about. Her heart beating quickly, the graceful Uni touched elegantly the ground, and galloped towards the mare ...

A shadow was also tailing Thereda and her mate, gliding from tree to tree. As it stopped behind a particularily large bush, a mist of light and glitter shimmered over it, and it took the form of Lumino, the mighty.

The golden Uni marched imperiously towards the pair, swishing his creamy tail. He smiled in a half-amused, half-serious manner as Trab and Thereda bowed before him.

"Well, my friends, why would you make such a ceremony? Get up, get up ... Rede - Trab ... my Weewoo has got back to me, and I can't deny that I was surprised to find you a so far from home.
I do not know if your daughter - your first daughter," Lumino added as she smiled at Mystyc, " - is concerned about you, but I need to tell you that Autumn is approaching, and I cannot leave you two here. When Winter will spread its curtain of snow on the Plains, you will need to warm your daughters, and crack open the ice so that they can drink."
"This is why I am here, Rede and Trab. I need to make your leave this place myself." The lead stallion rose himself to full height, and he towered over the two Unis considering that he was imperiously high. "And I will not deny that my granddaughter wuould love to play with - er Kriahz, is it, or Mystyc? - "

"Of course I would love to!" Said Shagya softly, emerging from the shadows. She had recovered very well to her meeting with Delta, and she was a beautiful as ever, her immaculate white coat shimmering in the faint light.

"Shagya!" Lumino looked as if Christmas had been banished from Neopia. "By the name of Fraetia - what are you doing here, Sweetie?"

Shagya winced badly at the name, but talked nevertheless; "I just had to see Mystyc ... she is the daughter of the friend of my mother's mother ... "

Lumino seemed to track the people his daughter was talking about, then, having abandoned, laughed loudly in his rich voice.

"You're really my daughter's daughter, Sweetie!"

"Of course I am, I'm not - "

"Yes, yes, that was just a joke, Sweetie ... " Lumino cutted in an ironic urgency.

Tasia:

Gipha glared at Very and thought 'Well then, if you're going to be so rude, I can just leave right now!'

But the stallion reached over and- passed to her a dandilion. She held it in her mouth for a moment, stunned, then turned to follow the uni to see where he was leading her.

Mystyc was even more tired when her mother finaly woke her. She had probably gotten only a total of three hours of sleep. First she had stayed up to watched the weird animals, then later she woke to speak with that marvelous lupe- Zhairk. Then, she had stayed up, thinking about him. She was looking foreward to meeting him again- tonight! She was so excited!

However, finaly she had dozed off, and when, when her mom roused her she saw- the weird animals! But- Zhairk had gotten rid of them, hadn't he? Maybe they had come back.

The band of travelers were just enjoying breakfast when Lumino arrived. No, it wasn't the Lumino Mystyc knew, who was half real. This was a different gold uni, but he was still Lumino. He was all real, but in the same way her family were real. Infact, the weird animals retreated from his step.

"Her name is Kriahz." Thereda was telling Lumino "I don't know where she got Mystyc from."

"But mom, my name is Mystyc."

"I don't want to hear it!"

Noe gazed apprehentiously at the gold stallion. She caught Shiko's eye, and the lupe nodded. They slunk silently and unnoticed away.

TLT:

Labifron hurried to where he heard the familiar howl. He slowed as he approached, and his niptor lept out of hiding to go with him. He say his father laying next to his mother. Labifron hadn't spent much time with his parents lately, and instantly he felt pangs of regret. At first, he couldn't tell what was wrong. Then he noticed Anita's blank stare. He walked next to her, and the only movement from either lupe was the sorrowful gaze of Jauck. Labifron knew something was wrong, but he was only a few weeks old, and didn't know exactly what. Gerlert, the loyal little petpet, stood in front of the older lupes. It waved its tail curiously in front of Anita curiously. A spark immediatly jumped into the elder periwinkle runt's eyes. Jaws knashed and the tail of a squealing niptor was held firmly in Anita's mouth. A grin appeared on her lips, and she let the petpet go, it tumbling head over heels onto the ground. With out a word, Anita lept up, stretched her legs, and ran out into the plains, vanishing in the deep grass.

Jauck howled in glee, and raced after his mate, leaving Labifron and an injured niptor completely confused.

Uni:

Lumino smiled in a disturbed way, and bent down to be lever with Thereda and Trab, then whispered:

"Rede ... your daughter wants to be called Mystyc, but you said that her name was Kriahz ... so - er - how are we going to call her? - "

"Please excuse my rudeness," Shagya bowed to Thereda, "but I think that Kriahz - or Mystyc, whatever I need to call her - has the right to decide what her name is going to be. I mean, Kriahz is wonderful, but maybe we can assemble the two names ... so ... so that everyone's all right with her name?"

Lumino looked very neutral, but swished his tail in a exasperated manner, as if he disliked the way his granddaughter talked, but was afraid to admit it to her because she talked better than him.

Morgan:

Waka stared at Mystyk, completely shocked. She hadn't even shown that she knew he was speaking to her! He sank to his knees slowly, collapsing from the heavy weight he was carrying, sadness and loneliness do weigh a lot, after all... He was rooted to the spot. What could he do besides stare at Mystyk, spellbound and, yes he would finally admit it, though he hardly understood it, head over heels in love with her. He could see the ghosts whenever he wanted, but he didn't want anything to block his view of Mystyk. He just couldn't leave her. Meanwhile, Moya and Mosh, though originally highly amused, were now getting REALLY bored. They followed Waka around, unbeknownst to him, keeping his power in check. He was so young that his power was to much for him alone to carry. It was a heavy burden. But his friends did all they could for him, and they waited with him too. Moya didn't even hear the rustle in the tall grass behind her.

Zonk tore wildly down the Plains, just a blur to anyone who cared to look. She had finally caught Moya's scent! Morgan would live! She saw the faerie that fit Kauvara's description flickering in and out of sight, obviously the faerie didn't realize that she had forgotten to renew her camaflauging. Zonk smiled, and there was only a faint rustle as she leapt out and landed beside Moya, managing to stifle her scream before it came.

Moya would've screamed, but there was a pitch black paw in her mouth. She spat it out and breathed very heavily for a while, but she calmed down enough to hear that Zonk was talking telepathically! Moya was surprised, she though 'Hey! Is EVERYONE in Neopia suddenly psychic?! Did I really mess up my incan'tation THAT bad?!' She disregarded that thought and turned to listen to Zonk.

Zonk was speaking telepathically so that no one would hear her. She wanted to remain silent and unnoticed. You are Moya the Water Faerie. You will come with me now, if you want to or not. My... Sister, I guess is the word is dying. ONLY YOU can save her, and I'm not just going to sit back and watch her die while you rest in the shade of a tree! Come with me NOW! With that, Zonk grabbed Moya with her teeth by the edge of her robes and dragged her off. Mosh was left alone trying to keep Waka from feeling the full weight of his burden, but even Waka in his trance noticed the extra weight, though he thought it was only sadness. Moya and Zonk flew back to Kauvara's and raced inside...

The nerve! Why that little... Wait a sec, did she say for her sister? Oh dear... This must be bad! Moya thought like this all the way to Kauvara's and, when she entered and saw Morgan, she gasped. It was worse than she had thought. Morgan was unconscious, feverish, and was just plain all around sick. Moya rolled up her sleeves, rubbed her hands together, and pushed her palms into Morgan's wings. A Healing Wave rolled past and she nearly fainted. That had taken a LOT of magic! Morgan murmured for a moment, then opened her eyes. "Am I... Alive?"

Morgan was dazed from the terrible illness that had overtaken her. She knew that Zonk probably would've even died if Morgan hadn't saved her. Morgan couldn't bear it if her only friend had... Died... she shuddered at the thought. She looked around for Zonk and saw her outside the door, afraid to look in. Morgan was still a bit woozy but she still limped over to Zonk and said, "Hey Zonk... Looks like I'm alive after all." The look on Zonk's face was worth all of the pain, Morgan decided, but she firmly agreed with Zonk when she said that she needed to rest at Kauvara's for a while... She was dead tired!

Ally paced nervously, worried about Morgan. This was scaring her half to death. She had lost eleven pups to illness, and hoped dearly that Morgan wasn't about to be number twelve. All she could do was pace and wait, so that was what she did.

Nagrom paced with her Mom, bored, worried, tired, bored, scared, bored... Wait, was that more than one bored? Well, she was BORED, with a capital B-O-R-E-D. She wandered off to play with a pretty purple butterfly, leaving Ally alone, who was still pacing.

Nami meditated calmly, taking deep breaths and telling herself that Morgan was in good hands, so why worry? She peeked open one eye and watched Ally pace for hours, wearing a deep brown streak in the pretty green grass. Nami sighed and began doing yoga. The whole while she concentrated on emptying her mind.

Moya was in a field of lovely flowers. She began picking three of each colour, for good luck, and decided that, when Morgan returned, she would give her them so that Morgan would feel happy again. Moya just wanted everyone to be happy. She finally got three of each colour. She dried out some mud from the river into a pretty shape of a vase, though it was a bit messy from being sculpted by paws, and put the flowers in it. She smeared colorful berries onto it and she had to admit that it at least smelled nice, though the looks were a bit... Odd. She waited like Ally, but didn't pace. She just sat down and tried, unsuccessfully, to make a song for Morgan's return. The sun was setting and it gave her inspiration, but she forgot the melody and lyrics she had been working on as sleep finally claimed her. Ally fell asleep, but still sleepwalked and paced... It would be a loooong night.

There was one creature not asleep. It was Wuff, who was watching his family's attempts to keep from getting bored interestedly. Eventually though, he realized what the hubbub was about. No one had bothered to tell him! He didn't cry, thinking that it wasn't manly, and fell asleep sad... He hoped that Morgan was ok.

Tasia:

Gipha waited. What should she do? Should she give him a flower back?

Gipha told herself, she was being stupid.

She said "Very, I, I, I'm going to go for a walk!"

'Well that was stupid!' she told herself.

"Her name is Kriahz. It's the name I gave her, it's her name!" Thereda was getting angry now.

Mystyc wasn't listening because, suddenly she felt there was someone watching her. She didn't know why, she just knew it. Waka? she thought wispered.

Morgan:

Waka's head snapped to attention. Mystyk had spoken to him! He was happy again! He beamed, though no one saw since he was invisible, and decided to step out from the underbrush he had been spying from. As he came out, he materialized into a day form, being too happy for dark colours. He had sky blue eyes, grass coloured fur, but his wings were what made him stand out. His wings were coloured like the most beautiful sunset imaginable. They even had pink-tinted clouds! He didn't realize what he looked like, he just concentrated on Mystyk, happy that she hadn't forgotten about him. Mystyk! How did you know I was there? Yes, I've been there for awhile, I was worried about you, I guess. Mystyk, you said you'd have a new name for me when we met again... If you don't, that's fine! He had added that last part a bit hastily. He knew that his new name should begin with M, he wasn't sure why, he just liked the sound of it, he supposed. He didn't care if he never had a name though, I mean, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, right? He had named Mystyk because he had a funny feeling about the name Kriahz, no matter how interesting it sounded to him. He didn't really care about anything at the moment, just ecstatic to be allowed into someone's prescence who didn't think he was a freak. He briefly wondered if she actually did think he was a freak, but that thought was brutually destroyed and never allowed to come back. He couldn't think like that... It would kill him from the inside out! He cleared his mind and watched Mystyk happily, eagerly awaiting her response. He was still beaming with joy and he couldn't seem to stop.

Uni:

"All right ... yes, Kriahz will be her name, Rede. Very beautiful ... Now, will you three come and go back home? Fratylia's getting a bit worried about you three ... " Lumino looked as if he was getting a bit impatient.

Shagya, however, lowered her head. She knew that she couldn't protest; Kriahz was Thereda's daughter, and therefore she didn't have the right to call her something that her mother didn't want to hear.

Tasia:

Waka! He looked different, but who cared? You're so pretty! she said, then guilt hit her. She had been so excited by her visit from Zhairk the previous night she had forgotten all about him I'm sorry, Waka,

"Gipha! We're going to see Gipha!" Tears streamed from Thereda's eyes. "Come along, Kriahz." she told her daughter.

"But mo-om!" the child groaned "What about Waka?"

"What?" She looked to the lovely green lupe puppy. It reminded her of the puppy she had seen in a haunted woods, and suddenly she felt guilty for leaving it. It was okay though, she told herself, it had probably found it's mother. She tried to convince herself of this.

"Where's your mommy?" she asked the pup.

"Mom, he can't hear you. Why don't you talk like we do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, thought talking."

Thereda smiled "You have a wonderful imagination, Kri."

Mystyc grated at the sound of her name. Why couldn't her mom accept that she wasn't Kriahz anymore? Oh, her mom was so difficult! She made a sound of exasperation and squeezed past her.

Morgan:

Waka was snapped out of his reverie when he saw Thereda. She had been the one to take Mystyk away before, and she seemed like she was doing it again. He was going to growl, but he held it back and decided to search Thereda's mind for what she had said. In response, knowing that Mystyk was the only one nearby that could translate for him, he said to Mystyk Mystyk? Your mother can't understand my thoughtspeak, so could you please tell her that I said that I had run away from home at one day old because I was an outcast? I don't know if she knows her, but my mother is Ally, and my father is Wuff. I am Wakarimasen, if you use my full name, which I can't stand, and I can understand everything she says by reading her mind. If she cares that is... I don't know if anyone really cares about me... Moya and Mosh have probably left by now, and if you leave me here... He trailed off, staring at Mystyk. He wanted her to stay with him, to return to the Haunted Woods with him, to leave the rest of the world behind with him. With him, with him, with HIM! He didn't want her leaving him, forgetting about him, disliking him. Him, him, him! He had had no idea how he had gotten so possesive and selfish so suddenly. He just had a strange feeling around him in this dead area of the plains. It felt... Wrong. No, no, not wrong, but not right either. He didn't want her to be hurt, didn't want her to be alone, didn't want her to leave, didn't want her to be unhappy... Her... Her... Her... That was all he could think about as he waited for her response. Would she know what he was thinking? was another thought that floated aimlessly around in his head... He didn't know, for once in his life, his name suited him. He didn't understand what he felt for her and why... He just did. He just needed to know what she thought...

TLT:

"Very, I, I, I'm going for a walk."

Very looked up at the sound of Gipha's voice. He nodded solemly. He tried to act cool, as if everything was okay, but his heart was filled with emotions. He hated Gipha, for acting so rudely to Habernill, who he felt deeply for. When he had first seen her, he felt like a new Uni, even before that strange potion. He felt deep inside that they were meant for each other. Yet the other half of him felt something for Gipha too. He liked the way she walked, her stubborness, and she wasn't bad looking, a dark red with black mane and tail. So it was hard for him to remain cool about all this. He watched Gipha walk away slowly, muttering under her breath. He was tempted to follow her, and was about to start, when he heard something. He paused. Something landed on his shoulder, a flash of red. He bolted from fear. His wings flapped violently, and the young stallion took off. He heard a small voice, and watched a bundle of red feathers come toward him from the corner of his eye.

"Hey, whats the big idea running off like that?! Didnt even give me a chance to say hello. Just took off like I was going to eat you or something..."

The great uni slowed down, and glided back toward the ground. The red object, which he now recognized as a pteri, landed by him on a near by tree. She looked at him quizzically.

"W-Who are you?" Very stammered, panting breathlessly.

"Fwanta. The one and the only." The pteri bowed dramatically. "But the real question is, Who are you? I am looking for one called VeryVain. Be that you?"

Very nodded, finally catching his breath. "I am VeryVain, but call me Very. What do you want from me?" Very faintly remembered Labifron talking about a pteri, and LT.

"Ummm... Thats a good question Very. Tiel just wanted to know what you are up to. She said to just tell me anything you want her to know. I think she's worried about you." The pteri winked at him. Very was stunned. He had stayed in Neopia Central with LT, and he had never had so much fun in his life, but he felt a need to come back to the plains of his child hood. Suddenly, the pteri flew away. Very watched it until the red blur disapeered into the clouds. He lay down. Habernill trotted over to him. She looked at him questioningly, but held her tounge, to Very's relief. Very mulled thoughts over in his mind. He stared out, ignoring the worried look on Habernill's face. It was all so confusing....

Tasia:

She won't believe me, but Mystyc gave it a shot anyway.

"Ma? His name is- well, nevermind. Mom, he ran away from his family when he was one day old. He can read you mind, Mom."

Thereda ignored the last comment out of pure rediculusness "He told you all this?"

"Well, yeah."

"Poor puppy, he's probably in denile."

"He did! He just told me! His parents are Ally and Wuff!"

He thought he heard little Kriahz speak words familiar to him. Shiko looked down the slope at the little foal.

"Ally and Wuff," Noe wispered into his ear "Aren't they of the pack you abandoned?"

The last word felt harsh to his ears. However, Shiko stood stock. He had left the pack for good, and it was well enough if they thought he was dead. Surely, he had so desire to show his face now.

However, he felt he owed a lot to the alphas. How many times had Wuff saved his tail? Then a new thought came to him- if he hadn't run into his friend and the once-uni on the plain, the chain of events would not have happened for him to meet Noe. He didn't why he thought that, and suddenly he felt absolutely red in the face in the uniphin's presence.

"Sheek, you haven't moved for ten minutes. What happened- you turn to stone?"

"Noe, too much time around other people have made this hard edged piece of cruelty soft."

"Hard edged piece of- now that's kau shit if I ever-"

"Come on, Noe," they continued away from the band.

"Wait," Thereda said "I think I know them. Aren't they the renegade lupes that started a veggitarian pack?"

"And now their dead," Trab said "What a shame."

"They're not dead!" Mystyc burst out "Believe me, I would know if they were dead."

Trab turned on her slowly "What do you mean."

"I see dead things," Mystyc said in a shiver "all the time." there was no way to deny it. Those creatures, they didn't live anymore. There was a sadness about all of them. They were dead.

Thereda gave him a worried look. Again Mystyc felt that shiver that maybe she was crazy.

She couldn't stand it anymore. Very hated her for the way she hated Habernill. Damnit, she hated herself! Gipha broke out into a run. Maybe the effort put into running would distract her from all the terrible thoughts going through her mind.

Uni:

"Hrm?" Lumino looked bewildered, and laughed loudly. "A vegetarian Lupe pack? You must be talking about that Lupe pack who promised us peace - yes, Rede, they promised us peace - weren't you still at the herd when Orora reported it back?" Lumino lowered his voice, "Rede, Trab - yes, you too, Mys - I mean, Kriahz - " the stallion added quickly at the revolted look on Thereda's face, "you must come back at once. I know that this problem will turn into something bad, so will you please come back before Gipha forgets about you three?" There was some kind of urgent plead in his voice, and he turned to the Lupe, smiling.
"That poor pup's deaf, isn't he?" The Uni asked through the corner of his mouth to Mystyc. As the filly nodded, Lumino closed firmly his eyes ... and transformed into a perfect replica of Thereda's daughter.
Ignoring Mystyc's surprised gasp, he began to talk ... yet his lips weren't moving - he was using the filly's Telepathic ability to talk to Waka.

Hello ... don't worry; I am Lumino, the Plain's Herd Leader. I am usually a Uni, but I can manipulate the light so that I can make and change things. I heard of you, my child. You can change your appearence too, and you must be aware that you have great powers. Why don't you join your pack again? Your mother has had new pups.
You can stay a bit with Mystyc if you want, but bear in mind that you have more powers than even Moya, that Air Faerie that you know.

Don't tell this to anyone, but I don't dislike Lupes. I will never hurt any innocent living creature, I swear it. Don't be afraid of me.

Lumino nodded to Thereda, and tranformed to his normal self again. With a minuscule wink at Mystyc that no one saw, he said:

"Well, Rede ... I don't deny that this pup is deaf - " Lumino lowered his voice again, " - but there is no such thing as 'thought talk'."

The Herd

Shagya had joined the herd again, thinking about Mystyc. Suddenly, something red bumped into her, nearly smaking her to the ground.

"Oh!" Shagya bowed down, "Lady Gipha ... do excuse me ... "

Tasia:

Thereda laughed- was she even redder? "That memory spell must have had more of an effect than we thought. "Alright, then it's settled? Because, I couldn't leave a helpless pup in the wilderness- especially a deaf one!" she turned to Kriahz "I can see you take a likeing to him. If he doesn't go back to his pack well then, I will treat him like- a son!"

Mystyc could not be happier, someone else did thought speak! And it was the one uni who her parents respected! She wasn't crazy after all! However, she got from Lumino that she should keep her gift under wraps. But what about seeing dead neopets, woundn't anybody ever believe her? Mikasi would believe her!

Mikasi? Where did that come from? But looking at the young lupe, she knew it was the one name that fit him. She whinnied happily and galloped to him I have your name now! Mikasi! Now I can call you that! then she tilted her head You already know, don't you? I see dead pets. she searched his eyes Do you believe me?

"Come on, Kriahz, and-" the red uni faltered at the pups name. So did Mystyc. Would Waka-Mikasi, accept the name Mystyc had chosen for him?

She said Will you come with me? I'm not sure what I will find when I get there. I'm, I'm scared. But when you're around I'm not scared any more. Please? the child had no idea that the feelings she felt were part of something different. She knew that, once in her life after she met Mikasi, he wasn't there. It had been the worst time in her life- no. Except for meeting Zhairk. She remembered the excitement of that night. But in the day, Zhairk wasn't there. And if Mikasi wasn't there either...

Even if she did know his name, what did it matter? Having never heard a sound before, would the pup even know it had a name? Thereda wasn't sure how to call it if it was deaf. Was there a paw movement among deaf lupes? She hated the urgency in Lumino's voice- what was wrong with Gipha? It was then that Trab came and stood by her side.

"Go, I'll take a care of it."

Thereda felt tears come from her eyes "Thank you! Thank you!"

Her mother ran away from her, to see a uni Thereda called Gipha. Who was this uni, and why did her mother talk about her so much? Mystyc decided right then that she didn't like Gipha, especially if her mom her more than Mystyc.

Gipha picked herself up. She shook her head "Excuse me Shagya, I wasn't watching where I was going." she wished she could turn to stone right now. This had been the worst day of her life!

She felt the warmth of the uni before she heard her "I'm so sorry, my baby! I would not stay away from you if I had the choice!"

That voice- Gipha looked up, her mom! "Mom! Your alive!"

"And you too- and beautiful! Look at how much you've grown!"

Gipha flushed at someone telling her she was beautiful. Then a dark thought came to her "Dad left you, didn't he?"

"What? No! He was so anxious to see you, if it wasn't for the baby I think we would been here weeks ago."

"Is that right?" then she thought about what ther mother had said "the baby?"

"Oh, I how could I have thought you didn't know? Little Kriahz, your baby sister!"

Gipha felt she was floating. Her mom, her dad, and a baby sister! "Where is she?"

"What?"

"Take me to her! I want to meet her."

TLT:

Fwanta flew in circles, riding a nice thermal from the lake shore into the air. She Looked around, her eagle eyes peering far away. She watched a red uni run away, toward a dark forest. With nothing else to do, the pteri changed her course and followed the uni. The red mare went into the forest, and met several other unis. Fwanta perched silently in the trees, a fly on the wall.

There were several unis, none of which she knew. There was also a small lupe puppy. A black foal talked to him, only her lips didn't move and there wasn't a sound. Fwanta knew they were talking, but she couldn't sense the words, just an instinctive feeling in the back of her mind. The pteri fluffed her feathers and shook her head to clear the uncomfortable feeling, but it didn't work. She watched the unis with great intrest. Suddenly, Fwanta felt spunky, she felt full of herself, confident, and down right silly. She flew from her perch, and dived in front of the horse like neopets. As she dived, she let out a call that exclaimed her sudden jubilance. She did a nice barrel roll as she fell, and landed neatly before the confused unis.

"Haloo!" Fwanta half yelled. She spread a wing before her and fanned out the two largest flight feathers and held them up. "Peace!" She exclaimed, giggling.

Very glanced up at the sky and saw a red blur flying across the sky. He immediatly recognized it as the strange pteri that had visited him yesterday. He looked at Habrenill, and pointed the bird out to her. She nodded, and flew up, inviting Very to come with her. Very paused, he hadn't meant for them to follow the pteri, he just thought it was interesting. The happy face of Habernill changed his mind, and the two flew up. They flew a long ways behind the pteri, Habernill going slowly to stay with Very. They kept the red blur just in their sites, and laughed and chatted on the way, not paying much attetion to where they were going. Before they knew it, they had flown into a dark forest. The pteri had disapeered into the gloom, and the couple heard nothing but the creeking of tall, spooky trees. The two unis huddled together, waiting to see what would happen.

Tasia:

Trab blinked, not sure what to say "Yes, "peace" to you, too."

Morgan:

Waka's heart stopped and missed a few beats. She wanted him to come with her?! She didn't want to leave him?! He would no longer be alo- wait, that wasn't right. Waka had Moya and Mosh, but they were... Different. He sent out a message to anyone within telepathic range Moya! Mosh! I'm going to join Mystyk! Come on! Suddenly he realized that he had a new name! FINALLY! Hey you guys! I have a new name now! I'm Mikasi! He couldn't help but grin. He was happier than ever before until he realized that he shouldn't be Mystyk's brother. No, he should be... What was the word for this...?! He finally worked up the nerve to ask Mystyk about it. Maybe she would know. Mystyk... Thank you for my name... I... I have something I need to ask you. I... Ok, I feel strangely around you. Well that came out well, he though to himself and mentally slapped his forehead. N-no, wait, that didn't come out right! I mean to say that... When you're around I feel... Happy isn't the word... I don't what the word is. Maybe you could help...? It was pitiful to see the most intelligent and powerful creature within a hundred thousand miles beg for help from a few days old Filly. Waka didn't give a care, though, he just wanted... What did he want? He just knew that he had to stay with Mystyk for as long as possible. Yes, Mystyk I'll come with you... If you really actually want me to... He hardly dared to hope that this wasn't all some far-fetched dream.

Moya and Mosh came to the bushes behind Waka the moment he called out. They could teleport in an emergency, it was just more enjoyable to fly. They waited for the reply along with Waka, taking some of his burden away. Waka needed this because he was already tense enough as it was.

Morgan had been healed and Zonk flew her home. Everyone greeted her return joyously, since she was the Alphas' pup and all. Morgan could sense the falseness in everyone's joy. She could tell that even her mother had only been worried that the past would repeat itself. She was the runt. No one wanted her except Zonk, but Morgan had forgotten about Zonk quickly from the thoughts she could sense the Lupes were thinking. She couldn't read their minds or anything, she could just tell that they were thinking poorly of her. It must have been intuition. She took off and ran like Waka had. One from each and every litter would do the same. It couldn't be helped. Zonk followed her after growling angrily at the pack. "Fools! Do you know what you have done?! Urgh!" And she ran off after Morgan, easily keeping up with her slow pace. After Morgan had run so far that she collapsed into sobs and fell asleep crying, Zonk lifted her up and flew her off in the direction of the rising sun.

Waka suddenly realized that Mystyk had asked him something else. Mystyk, I do know that you see the dead. It is a very rare gift, and very useful if you can harness it. No, Mystyk, you aren't crazy. You're just... Unique. Special in a very interesting way. Who woulda thunk it? It was official, Moya has really rubbed off on me, he thought to himself, Wait a sec! I... I'm Misaki now! Yes! That is much better! And he happily, though still a bit tensely, waited to hear what Mystyk would say.

Tasia:

It was the most wonderful feeling! Waka, no, Mikasi would come with her, and, he didn't think she was crazy! She called him gifted. Mystyc swelled in pride. She barely remembered what else Mikasi said. You feel happy around me? Well, I feel happy around you too! Your so- what was a good word? He was like her, but he was different. He thought a lot, that was clear to see, and he, cared about her. She liked that. And he understood her, not like her parents did- they didn't get her at all!- or Lumino, who understood her powers but didn't know what she was thinking. It made her happy.

It was true! Her dad had come back! Gipha felt like she could cry.

And here was her sister. The black foal was skinny, and Gipha didn't see any of herself in it. In fact, she wasn't like either of her parents either. Sure, she had the black colouring of her father, but her tone was much deeper. Her face was cut a different way, and Gipha thought she could have been birthed by a set of different parents.

Gipha said "Hi! I'm your big sister, Gipha!"

Mystyc didn't know what a sister was. She thought she couldn't be any more different from the red mare. Why the hell did her mom like her so much?

Thereda was picking at Gipha's mane "You haven't been taking care of yourself! Must I tend to you all the time?"

"Mommy," Mystyc got between her mother and the young mare "I'm hungry."

"Oh, sure honey,"

TLT:

A bug black uni stood before the tiny red bird. "Yes, 'peace' to you, too."

Fwanta giggled. She spread her feathers out again. This time there were four, the first two together, a space, then the third and fourth together. "Vulcan salute!" She said, and fell over laughing madly.

Uni:

Shagya shook her beautiful head and said:

"No, Lady Gipha ... it's my faul - "

The Uni's voice was cut by Thereda's voice. Excitement joy her face; Gipha's mother has returned! Shagya reared in excitement, a sentiment that she had usually kept on a leash, but it has finally ripped it, taking entire control of Shagya.

She saw Mystyc, and her heart lept. Seeing the confused look on her face, Shagya talked again:

What's the matter, Mystyc? You don't understand who Gipha is? Oh ... well, a sister is another child from the same mother. A sister is a female child and a brother is a male one. Gipha is your sister; in other words, she's another child of your mother. Gipha's a bit older than you, but I know that you'll get well together.

Shagya smiled, but was struck dumb during the process: her lips didn't move, yet she was sure that she had spoken, and Mystyc's face showed clearly that she had understood ...

Shaking her head, Shagya smiled again at Mystyc.

Tasia:

Mystyc frowned. Another child of her mother? Mystyc felt heart broken, and she wasn't sure why.

Morgan:

Mikasi realized that Mystyk was lost in her own thoughts and had forgotten to finish her sentence. He decided that the best course of action would be to read her mind and see what she had meant to say. He stopped cold when he found out that she had realized he cared about her. Well, he had been a tad bit obvious. But he was deliriously happy when he discovered that he made her happy. He took that for a yes. He would follow her to the ends of Neopia and beyond if he had to. Moya and Mosh followed him as he followed Mystyk to meet her sister, Gipha. He knew all about these Unis from his mother and father, but it was interesting to actually see them up close. He did notice, however, that Mystyk was getting upset. She was jealous. Waka could understand jealousy. Mystyk? Don't worry, your mother still loves you! I love you too--- WAIT A SECOND!!! His mind was reeling. He had just found that word he had been searching for! Oh Moya! Did I just say that out... He gulped. Loud?! Well so to speak, yes, he had. Oh dear, this could turn out beautifully or... He didn't want to think about it. He twitched, legs buckling, and he was frozen there, unable to move until Mystyk answered him. He was terrified, and the scent of fear even leaked through his true scent that had been masked so well up till now. He didn't know what to think!

Zonk had stopped flying and landed smoothly in the clearing that Ally and Wuff had visited oh so often. It was a safe haven for lost Lupes and creatures. They would stay there, Zonk decided. Morgan woke up.

"AAAH!! WHERE AM I?!?! WHY AREN'T I WITH MO--" She broke off. She had been about to say Mommy, but stopped as the flood of memories rushed back into place. She paused for a while as things reasserted themselves into the correct order. She got it all figured out and the first thing she did was gulp. She didn't notice Zonk, who was behind her, and began talking to herself. "No... Mommy isn't here. Mommy doesn't love me. Nobody loves me. Only Zonk ever cared, and she didn't even come! How can I blame her? I'm a runt, inferior to everyone else. I'll never survive on my own, but it's better than staying with people who constantly lie. False love is worse than hate... Ah well, at least I can reveal the real me now." She closed her eyes and her fur changed to Yellow. That seemed to be the only change, but there were mental changes to. Her barriers were down. She had kept walls around her mind so anyone who looked at her, searched her mind, or spoke to her, would think she was an innocent child without a care in the world. They were wrong. The reason she admired Zonk so much was because she could do whatever she wanted without worrying about what people thought of her. Morgan couldn't do that since she was the Alpha's daughter. Morgan was also much more aware of things than people took her for. But, who cared? No one, that's who. No one even knew that Morgan was almost always sad, mad, or frustrated. So Morgan was alone and she accepted it.

Zonk could read Morgan's mind now, since her barriers were down. She was shocked. Morgan had felt so sad for so long... And she... She hadn't even known! She walked over to Morgan, who was hanging her head low, and didn't see her coming. She nudged Morgan, who spun wildly around. Zonk had forgotten that she had changed form while flying to disguise them while flying. She saw a look of fear that quickly vainshed in Morgan's eyes. It was replaced with an evil, seething hatred. Zonk, faster than light, it seemed, had somehow managed to make an illusion of herself in the disguised form, much like Lumino did. There was also more to Zonk than meets the eye. While the illusion took her place, Zonk hid in a nearby tree, watching what was happening.

Morgan still had that rage in her eyes, but it cooled to icy uncaring loathing fairly quickly. In the blink of an eye, Morgan turned around and cut off the phony Zonk's head. She showed no emotion on her face as the blood hit her paws. She rinsed them off and would have left, if it not for the fact that an entire pack of Lupes was there. They were the elite pack that lived in the mountains, and they were staring horrified at the cold hybrid before them. One of them, the best hunter there was in the pack, leaped forward to kill her, but before he could take two steps, he was dead as well. The pack charged, figuring that she couldn't take them all on at once. They were wrong. Within ten minutes, they all lay dead at her feet. She didn't show any emotion at all during the entire fight. Zonk was horrified. What had the pack done?! Morgan wanted revenge, that was clear, but would she kill the entire pack...?! After this tranformation, Zonk knew that the answer was yes. Morgan slipped into the pond and cleaned the fresh blood from her coat and made to leave again. Again something was in her way. It was Zonk in the form that Morgan knew of. Quickly, Morgan tried to act as though she had just walked in on the bloodbath, but Zonk didn't buy it. Morgan finally showed an emotion, fear. Zonk had seen her kill fifty Lupes in a matter of minutes. What was there to say? "Zonk? Is that... REALLY you? Oh Zonk!" Morgan lept forward and cried on Zonk's shoulder. Zonk didn't pull pack. Morgan had the right of self defense, she told herself. Zonk also knew that if Morgan had wanted her dead, she would be dead. Morgan was more powerful than anyone had ever known, and this would be a secret for a loooong time to come.