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!

8. Chapter 8

Tasia:

Oh course, her mother loved her. But- she didn't want to share! And, Mikasi loved her? Mystyc was confused. Mikasi wasn't her mother. He couldn't protect her like Thereda did- wait, yes he could. He was more powerful than her mother was, she knew that. Well, he didn't give her milk. But- her dad loved her too, and he didn't give her milk. Did Mikasi want to be her dad? Maybe, this was something different. She gave a smiled to Mikasi, and said Yep, I love you too.

Night was on the lake like a comforting blanket. Thereda was glad to be home, and glad that her family was whole once more. Gipha lay by her side, nearly leaning on Thereda, happy to have her mom. Thereda knew her eldest daughter would grow irritated of her soon enough, it was the proper way. She was disappointed the young mare hadn't found a mate in her absence. But, with her father leaving her before she was born, what could she expect of stallions? Thereda promised herself she would make sure Gipha had a mate, even if she had to force one upon her.

Where was Kriahz? Thereda's heart beart like an angry mynci in her chest. She looked around, scented the air-

There! She had made her bed a wing length or so away from Thereda. Her black coat blended with the dark sky, it even appeared to have the stars in it. But of course, that would be impossible. The foal's head was up, her ears erect, and it reminded Thereda of a lupe on vigil of the plain. Thereda shivered.

She got up, and took a few steps to her filly "Sleeping alone tonight?"

Kriahz turned "Oh, hi mom."

"What are you looking for?"

Her daughter smiled, then frowned, then smiled again- but it was different this time "Oh, just watching the plain. That's all."

"You should be getting some sleep. Today was a hard day, and tomarrow your father and yourself will be welcomed into the herd."

"Okay mom," she put her head past her hooves.

"That's my girl," Thereda walked to her spot next to Gipha- who had risen and was blinking groggily.

Why had she not told the truth about Zhairk? It felt wierd to Mystyc.

My lady,

She turned, started. There he was. Zhairk! Mystyc wanted to run up and wind her long neck around him, but the shadow lupe put up a paw.

No. You reek of evil.

Mystyc cocked her head I do not reek!

Hold on, he took a sniff of her Oh no...

What is it?

Wakarimasen!

Mystyc blinked That's my friend! But his name is Mikasi now.

Mikasi? How did he get that name?

I, gave it to him,

The shadow lupe howled So he has bewitched you already!

Suddenly, Mystyc felt very cold What, do you mean?

Zhairk took a deep breath Okay. Kriahz-

My name is Mystyc. it was a quick reaction.

Zhairk looked at her, and his dark gray turned pale.

What? Mystyc squeeked.

Did the Beast give you that name?

The Beast? You mean Waka- Mikasi? Yes, but I gave him his name. We did it as, a friend thing.

No no no, Kriahz! Waka is not the little pup you think he is. He's a demon, who stole the pup Akaw's body. He had to get a new name so that his power would be fresh! And he gave you a new name so that he could control you! Kriahz, you must drop Mystyc as your name!

Mystyc stared at him. She felt like she wanted to cry. Why would Mika- Waka do this to her? She thought he was her friend! I don't believe you!

Then answer me this. When you first met pup he was different. Why is that?

It was true. In the haunted woods, Waka was just a pup. A pup with wings that could do thought speak. But now- he was powerful. Mystyc could sense that. Had Waka's new name given him that power? She didn't know. Zhairk was looking into her eyes intently, and the memories were swirling and merging inside her head.

Uni:

The mares have lined up into two lines again. At the end of the rows stood Lumino, beaming with pride, two guards beside him. Trab and Kriahz-Mystyc were side by side, at the beginning of the lines. Lumino's guards snorted with sympathy, and the Wild Roamer and his new filly walked fowards.

The mares looked on at them, and smiled. It went exactly like for Shagya and Delta, only the Unis didn't bow as the Unis passed. As the stallion and filly came before Lumino, they stopped.

"Trab, Wild Roamer, Thereda's mate, and his daughter, Kriahz, wishes to join the herd." The two guards boomed.

"I say," Lumino answered proudly, a warm smile on his lips, "that they are allowed to stay with us."

The mares all neighed, and some of them reared at the news. Trab bowed as he was cheerfully welcomed by Lumino. Giving a wink at Kriahz, the lead stallion joined Thereda.

Later

Shagya groomed her sparkling mane, and looked up only when Sadee's shadow neared her.

"My Lady ... " Sadee saw the comb, and laughed in a cristalline voice. "My Lady, you do not need to groom yourself, for you possess the most beautiful coat and mane in Neopia!"

Shagya couldn't supress a smile as she handed the comb to the young mare.

"If I do not need it, My Child, I'll proudly hand this to you."

Sadee bowed low before accepting the gift.

"My Lady ... thank you ... "

The Fire Uni retreated, leaving Shagya thinking about what happened to her yesterday. Finally deciding that she needed to know the truth, she flew away, to the mountains.

As her pale blue hooves hit lightly the ground, Shagya ran off, her delicate hooves drumming the rock.

"Delta! Delta ... I need a talk!"

There was no responce as her pure voice echoed around.

Delta!

Shagya stopped, confused. It happened again ...

"What do you need?"

A thin fog has appeared, and the voice was bodiless; however, Shagya knew that she was facing her sibling.

"Delta ... I ... when I called you - I was talking, I knew I was, but I didn't make a sound - "

"I heard you too, Shagya ... in my mind."

"Y - your mind, Delta? No - not ... telepathy?"

"Yes, it is, Shagya. I have armed you; you must practice, but I know that you can protect your herd. However, listen to me: you must become Lead Mare."

"L - Lead Mare? Why - no! Wait!" A surge of fury rushed through the Uni; an invisible force was projected from her body, and Delta materialised.

"Very good. Very good ... "

Delta dissapeared.

Later

Shagya concentrated hard. The apple she had levitated did a few cartwheels before summasaulting (sp? XD) in the air.

"Bravo, My Lady!"

It was Sadee. Shagya let the apple drop dully to the ground, and ate thankfully the grapes that Sadee had brought her.

"At least you can slow down that Lupe, My Lady, if he attacks again!"

"I doubt that, Sadee. Lueps are a bit heavier than apples," Shagya said bitterly.

"BOO!"

Shagya used her lightning reflexes to turn around, and she projected a spherical shield around Sadee and herself, within seconds.

Lumino laughed loudly, his rich voice echoing around.

"Excellent, Shagya! Perfect instincts!"

"That was very well indeed," Gradyti added, walking out from behind Lumino.

"Oh, Sweetie, that was so good!" Orora finished sweetly, smiling at her daughter.

"Mother! FATHER!" Shagya galloped into her parents' outstretched wings, and they hugged her.

A tear of joy rolled from the young mare's eye and dropped, as silver as Delta's, onto the grass.

"Where have you been?" Shagya asked in a 'If-You-Knew-How-Worried-I-Was-I-Almost-Died-Of-Fright-I-Thought-That-A-Lupe-Caught-You' sort of voice.

"No where," Lumino said, a bit bothered.

TLT:

Very shuddered. There was something wrong about his place. It was dark, and the trees moaned in the wind. The grass was tastless, dry and brittle, where there even was grass, not packed dirt. Habernill shifted beside him. She obviously didn't like this place either.

"V-Very? Let's go. This place is giving me the creeps."

"Me too. Look. There is some light going through those trees. Maybe we can get out that way." Very flapped his wings and took off. No matter how fast or far he flew, the light didn't get brighter, and the forest just got thicker. Habernill trailed behind him, her eyes wide with fear.

After what seemed like forever, the pair finally broke free of the forest. Sand surrounded them in front, and the forest was behind.

"The Lost Desert." Habernill whispered. Very nodded, unable to comprehend where they were.

"Incredible." Very breathed. All across the horizon was sand. Nothing, spare a pointed pyrimid in the distance. How where they going to get back home?

Anita plunged through the deep grass. She ran as fast as she could. She broke into a large clearing. A rock was in the middle, a ramp. Anita put on a burst of speed and ran onto the rock. As she neared the end, she leaped. She landed safely at the other end of the clearing. She didn't stop, despite the frantic panting calls behind her. She ran so fast she was practically flying. It was exhilerating.

Labifron and Jauck finally quit their chase after they saw the small female pretty close to soar off a rock she had ran onto. The two sat panting, wondering when Anita would stop. She had seemed so close to death only moments before, and then she took off like a rocket. Jauck shook his head. He just didn't understand females.

Tasia:

Trab felt tall, raised above all the rest. He knew this would be the happiest day of his life. After the ceremony was over, he stood by his mate and his two daughters "We're officially a family now." Thereda said.

Gipha was happy for her father and her sister- she really was! But, Very was gone. And Habernill too. They had left the day before. Gipha had searched around, asked every uni, no one knew where to find him. She kicked herself inside. She should have left the herd, not them! She was half free roamer!

She though, why did she give a hoot what they did anyway? Why had Very been on her mind so often? And, why did she hate Habernill? There was nothing wrong with the uni- she was being friendly.

She thought, Gipha, you like him. This is bad. This is a stupid for you to do. You have to stop!

"Dad?"

Trab looked down at her eldest daughter. She had seen so little of her, with taking care of the baby and Thereda "What is it honey."

"I'm going to go for a walk."

Trab smiled at her "I'm proud of you honey."

As Gipha walked away she thought, did he know? But of course not. If he did, he would have stopped her.

Morgan:

Waka was sleeping, tired after following Mystyk all day. He woke up and ran over to her. Good Morning Mystyk! How are you today? He was still overflowing with joy that she had said she loved him too. He was floating he was so happy. No, really, he floated up about three feet before he realized what was happening. He quickly came back down. He smiled sheepishly at Mystyk, a tad bit embarrassed that he had floated away. He awaited his beloved's reply.

Zonk broke away from Morgan and stared her right in the eye. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought... You only stayed because of how I was... And if I had told you... You would have left me alone long before... I hate being alone so much..." Morgan sighed. Why was this so hard to explain? But Zonk understood perfectly.

"Morgan... You're like, my daughter! I never would have left you! Why act helpless when you aren't?"

"People stay wih me to help me take care of myself. This way I'm not alone."

Zonk was surprised, but continued, "Morgan... Why were you so sad? You're always sad, but you hide it and act happy. Why?"

"So people will stay. I don't want to be alone, yet I am seperate from every other creature..." Morgan began to sing, and her voice was beautiful.

"Who am I?
Do you know me?
No... Probably not.
I don't even know me, so how could you?
But do you know me, could you help me?
I want to know who I am.
Doesn't everyone?
I've worn a mask so long that I don't know which is which anymore.
But...
Do you know me?
Could you help me?
I need someone to be my friend."

Zonk felt sad about what Morgan was singing in her soprano voice, but, on a sudden idea, Zonk picked up the song with her own lyrics. She sang in a slightly lower voice, an alto.

"I thought I needed a mask to have friends, but I took it off and saw...
Well, what I saw were masks, not faces, no one truly themselves.
Only puppets, with masks of many colors, dancing on a stage.
I was one of them, but I broke away the strings.
Can I help you?
Will you let me?
I can help you take off that mask.
I can lend a hand.
Just let me be your friend.
I won't laugh, poke fun.
I won't turn and run.
We really could have fun.
Now I know who I am!
A real girl on a stage of puppets.
Trying to find a friend.
Are you that friend?
Will you let me?
You've only just met me, but...
Can we be friends?
Real people in a puppet land that only shows what they want it to.
They control that world.
Who are they?
The puppeteers.
I had many puppeteers, and...
They toyed with me, put me down,
Made me a puppet girl.
I used to be real, but they...
They gave me strings.
I took them, but now I see...
I see clearly.
I don't need these strings!
I throw them away.
But in their place...
I take wings, golden and glowing.
I am not a puppet, nor a puppeteer.
I am me.
Will you join me?
You CAN be you.
No strings attached."

Morgan looked up at Zonk admiringly. There was nothing more to be said at the moment that hadn't already been said. Morgan had found her friend at last.

Tasia:

Mystyc- no, wait. She couldn't use that name anymore. Wakarimasen had given it to her. It was his way of controling her.

Kriahz. Kriahz looked at Waka confused. No, not confused, informed. She knew what he was now. She glared at him Get away from me, and stay away from my family! I know now what you are, Wakarimasen!

Then, she started to cry. The pup she knew as Mikasi was so sweet- Mystyc liked him so much! Why did it have to be a lie?

Morgan:

Mikasi was shocked. He had been floating, but this brought him crashing down. She wanted him to stay away from her and her family? Why?! And what did she mean by 'I know now what you are Wakarimasen'?! Why had she changed his and her name back?! Wait, she was crying! Mystyk... I mean Kriahz, since you seem to want that name more, why? Why do you want me to leave? Have I done something wrong? Why are you crying? I'm not going to violate your privacy, so I'm not going to delve into your mind, so please please please tell me why! I'm so confused... But if you really want me to go... I don't want to leave, but it's more important if you're happy... Just please Mys-- Kriahz. Why? Tears were running down his cheeks. He didn't notice them or care. He looked like a puppy that had been kicked to the curb more than once in his short life. A light drizzle started to come down, and he got wet. Not wanting Mystyk-- no, Kriahz, to get wet, he put a shield over her. She alone stayed dry. Waka, since she had taken the name Mikasi, didn't care about anything. What pain could be worse than this? It showed itself in his eyes.

When Moya heard Kriahz, she was ready to charge out and beat her up right then and there. Waka had been through more than almost everyone Moya knew. And now this?! How could she?! Mosh held her back. Moya could only make things worse, he reasoned. He was still extremely mad at Kriahz though, and dove into her mind to see why. A malevolent force kept him out. He assumed something had posessed her, but it was his own ineptitude that had found that. He had accidentally tried to search Zhairk's mind.

Tasia:

She cried No! I know it's all fake! I'm not stupid! she ran away, away from that sheild, away from everything Waka. Now that she realized who he was, how could she accept any of his gifts, no matter how nice he seemed.

Someone was in his mind- No! They could find his intentions easily and- he was powerless in the day! He could only, witness. What could he do? Zhairk was hungry for a body. He thought...

The Moonrise spell! That was it. He had to get the foal to perform it, but how?

"She said what?"

"Thereda-"

"And you answered her how?"

"Thereda, please,"

"Don't you think that's the same thing I told my mother?"

"Yes, I do-"

"Then why did you let her go?! Trab, what if she gets captured by lupes? What if she breaks a wing? What if, she gets hurt?"

"She won't."

"How do you know that?"

"I- don't."

"Trab! What were you thinking?!?"

He sighed "Okay," he said "See, my mother told me this story about two puppyblews in a cage. Well one day, one of the puppyblews got free. The folks who had kept it in the cage were devistated, because that area was infested with plains aishas and other nasty creatures. They thought for sure he was gone.

"but he back the next day, and even though he had a slight limp, he looked so much older and stronger, and had a new glint in his eye.

"Years later, the folks who owned the cage had abandoned it, and the lupes moved in. Now, you must know, the other puppyblew- the one that didn't escape- he had grown very ill. Well, the lupes attacked, and they went for the more easier puppyblew to kill. Well, the first puppyblew- he wouldn't have that! He fought, and, unforchunettely, he couldn't save his brother. But the point is, he knew how to fight those lupes."

"So what are you saying? Gipha is a sick puppyblew?"

Trab shook his head "I, don't know. But it seems right. We have to let her roam."

Uni:

"Where did she go?" Orora's voice was in a kind of imperious menace.

"I ... she ... er - " Gradyti himself cowered before the furious look on Orora's face.

"Spit it out!"

"She ... she went to drive the Lupe off - "

"Drive the Lupe off!?"

"But - I - "

"HOW COULD YOU?!"

"But - "

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER?"

"N - nothing, I - "

"WE'VE LOST A DAUGHTER ALREADY!"

"I know, I - "

"I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM!"

"Oh, quit it," Lumino muttered between clenched teeth.

A horrible strom has broken over the plains, showering thunder and rain everywhere. Right on cue, Frowlickle attacked, almost trapping Fratylia as his jaws clemped her tail. Shagya has come and driven him off with a shield, while Lumino let the rest of the Unis into the lake.
They were now on the other bank, and Orora has realized that her second daughter was missing, too.

"QUIT IT?! SHE'S MY DAUGHTER!!"

"Orora - "

"I'LL DIE IF SHE DOSEN'T SURVIVE - "

"Orora - "

"HOW COULD YOU?"

"Orora!" Frowlickle cut in. "Shagya can fly. She's telepathic. What can expect?"

"What ... what if ... "

"Lupes can't rip Faerie wings. They heal by themselves. They have a magical essence that flows through them, so that nothing can ever hurt its attacker."

"You should have told me earlier."

Taken aback by this calm responce, Gradyti saw a smile flicker on his mate's mouth.

"So ... that's settled then?" Lumino's smile faded instently as a warning look spread on Gradyti's face.

Morgan:

Kriahz cried No! I know it's all fake! I'm not stupid! and she ran away off into the now pouring storm. There were even jagged bolts of lightning ripping across the sky every few seconds, and it was getting worse! Waka knew that it was dangerous for her to be out in this kind of weather. Whether or not she hated him or loved him, he loved her, and he refused to let her get hurt. He tore off after her, but he was slower than normal because of the weight of his wings. Quickly he rid himself of his winged form in favor of a black wingless Lupe. He made himself bigger so that he could go faster as well.

"What the heck does he think he's doing?!" screeched Moya aloud as he raced off. She muttered words that do not belong on this page as the thunder shook the ground it was so loud. Moya's curses, I mean. The thunder just barely hid her words, but combined they shook Neopia. This. Was. Bad. Come on, Mosh, let's save his butt. It'll get fried by lightning if he doesn't watch himself. She telepathically told Mosh, the thunder giving her a headache. "Stupid pup..." she muttered as she put a pink bubble around Mosh and herself. The pink bubble blasted off and zoomed into the distance. It talied Waka easily. Moya decided it would be better for him if he didn't see them, so she made them invisible. They finally caught up to Kriahz and hid in a convenient patch of tall grass. Waka and the others still smelled like rain, thunder, and wind, so they were invisible to the eye and the nose. Moya and Mosh stared at Waka, who set up a complex shield that allowed a little rain down, but no more thunder or downpour. It also made it look as though the sky was clearing. Moya and Mosh were impressed, and waited to see Kriahz's reaction.

Zonk grabbed Morgan by the scruff of the neck and dragged her into a dry cave. The blood had all been washed off of the clearing and the bodies had floated away down a stream to the lake near Lumino's herd. Zonk wasn't worried about that though. Morgan had started to cough up blood. She was getting sick again. Zonk set her down and built a fire near the edge where the smoke would blow out into the storm. To make the fire itself, she had changed into a Scorchio and blew fire onto it. She changed back to her normal form and coaxed Morgan to sleep. Zonk awaited the end of the storm so she could go to Kauvara once again.

Tasia:

A Cloud Uni- Two points. Is there something shorter I can call you? A Cloud Uni sounds akward in my mind's ear.
And also, you can have Snowickle attach Gipha if it serves to your plot))

It seemed just like her that on her first day of freedom there was a storm- and Gipha was loving it "My first danger that no one will save me from!" she neighed happily.

He was gone.

No he wasn't. There was no smell or sight of him, but she knew he was there. It was feeling in her heart, she could always tell if he was close. It was such, a delicate feeling. It made her happy to think her Mikasi was there.

Fool! It's a trap!

Zhairk? Where are you?

Kriahz, my girl, you must do something for me. We must go to the shop belonging to the starry kau. Hurry! We must be quick!

Kriahz nodded, and began porpousely to where her parents had passed the kau's abode.

Morgan:

Waka saw a shadow in front of Kriahz. He was starting to take on her ability to see the dead. One of his more amazing abilities was that he could replicate other people's abilities. Kriahz ran off. He knew she was going to Kauvara's. He would get there first. He, Moya, and Mosh all teleported there immediately to wait for them. It was all they could do. Waka left the scene, going very far off, but kept in touch with Moya so she could send him her view on everything psychically. That way Kriahz wouldn't need to suffer from seeing Waka again. He didn't want ther to be sad, he wanted her to be safe. He mwaited miles away, watching her from a safe distance.

Zonk had no choice. She had to get Morgan to Kauvara now. She was getting worse at an extremely fast rate. It almost seemed she was dying, which, of course, couldn't happen. Not while Zonk was around. She scooped up Morgan and, rain or no rain, she flew to Kauvara's like Jhudora was chasing her. She dodged lightning bolts, breezed past the rain drops, and soared over the clouds until she was above the storm. She finally, after only an hour or so, reached Kauvara, panting heavily. Morgan looked terrible. Zonk waited outside for Kauvara to heal her. She was almost afraid to look. Strangely, she saw the shape of a Uni coming towards her. She tensed, ready to attack.

Uni:

Shagya opened briefly her eyes. Her transparen't mental shield was still standing, as strong as ever. It gave her air as she curled up inside it.
She had lured the Lupe to the edge of the lake, and had dived into the icy water, creating a bubble-shield to breathe and to defend herself. She didn't knew where the Lupe was, but she didn't have time to think about that.

BANG.

A huge, milky-white thing has collided with the bubble, almost ripping it. Shagya closed her eyes and concentrated hard. The thing collided again, but this time, the bubble resisted easily, making a gong-like sound.

Tasia:

She saw the hat shaped building in front of her. Zhairk was growling next to her ear Run! So Kriahz ran faster. She didn't sense Waka anymore- that was good- she thought. Everytime she thought about how the lupe had lied to her she felt like crying- so she forced herself not to think it. She thought instead about why exactly Zhairk needed her to go to the kau's shop. She didn't bother asking- Zhairk knew what she was thinking anyway.

She began on the path in front of the building- but there was a lupe pup! It had wings- like Mikasi! Though it was younger, and baring its teeth at her!

'Probably one of Wakarimasen's coverts,' she thought, and she thought she felt Zhairk smile.

Kriahz stumbled backwards Never mind it! Zhairk screamed at her.

It's visious!

We will deal with it later. Kriahz didn't like the way he said that, but she had no time to think about it, because she was jumping over the pup! She cleared it, and ran into the shop. Long after she had landed she thought, 'I don't recall meaning to jump,'

Kauvara turned her kind face on Kriahz, and the uni nearly melted. The kau was full of age and wisdom, and Kriahz felt like telling her everything she ever learned.

"May I help you?"

There was a pause, where the uni appeared to be sorting through thoughts in her head "I have no money." she said

"It's okay. I do favors for the herd and the pack, when the need arrives."

There was a pause. Then

"May I help you?"

But Kriahz wasn't listening. Zhairk was telling her to repeat every word he said "I have no money.

"It's okay. I do favors for the herd and the pack, when the need arrives."

Kriahz was going to ask, "how do you know I come from the pack?" but Zhairk was telling her soemthing new to say.

But I can't say that! It's a lie!

Kriahz, do you want Wakarimasen to control you?

Kriahz felt terrible hurt. It was as if the lupe were only picking at a scab, however she knew he didn't mean it. He was just trying to protect her. "My mother is sick."

"Oh dear! I'll get something right away." she began rummaging through her collection. Finaly she came up, healing potion in hoof "Got it!"

"Oh Kauvara, my mom is allergic to potions!"

"Oh dear. Well, I'll see what I can find."

Now?

Why?

Hurry up!

Kriahz jumped over the counter and aimed her hooves at the kau's behind. The kau was pushed into the shelf, and several jars popped under her wieght. They watched as the kau changed species- from grundo to aisha to korbat, and then get swept up in a tornado!

Come on! Zhairk demanded.

But we have to help her!

We will, later! Come on! Kriahz slipped behind the counter, in through a hallway. There was a door at the end of the hallway.

Don't just stare like a dumb quiggle! Open it!

Kriahz grabbed the handle in her mouth, even tried her hooves It's locked.

Well then, your going to have to break it down.

Break it down?

Well, of course.

Kriahz grew cross Why can't you?

There was a pause Because, my dear, I am so proud of you. I would do it, but I'm sure you can.

Something in his voice made her heart feel warm Alright, she stood on her back legs, and began to kick with her front. With her hooves undeveloped, each impact hurt her more than the door. Then Kriahz realized that her back legs were stronger, to she turned and backing bucking like an ixi untill the door gave in. Kriahz rushed in.

There were hundreds- no, thousands of books and scrolls. Kriahz felt a scary magic was coming from this place. The foal shivered. Then, deep inside her, there was a yearning, but a dark yearning, was it greed?

There! The gold scroll with the bloodied corners!

Kriahz followed where the lupe's mental attention was pointing her. It was in a corner, squished almost by thick rimmed books that looked heaver than herself, but the bloodied scroll was there. Kriahz grabbed it in her teeth and, very gently, pulled.

Now let's get out of here.

The uni ran out of the back room, through the hall, past the front store where Kauvara was still stuggling with the tornado, and out onto the plain.

Shiko came to a smell he reconnized "The pack is bigger. However, there's the smell of death. A lot of death. Maybe, ten, or eleven."

Noe looked at him over her wide muzzle "You lupes have strong noses."

Shiko shrugged. Then he looked up at Noe "You don't mind, do you? At your first word, we can leave."

"Nah," Noe said "besides, I want to meet the lupe who was the friend of you before I met you."

Shiko grinned.

TLT:

Very looked at the vast expanse of desert. He turned and looked at the woods behind him. Habernill knew what he was thinking and inturrupted his thoughts.

"No. We can't go back in there. We'd never find our way out again. We were lucky to get out here."

"So what then, are we going to try and get across this huge desert with no water?"

"Yes." Said Habernill, in a tone that startled Very. "We are going to cross this desert if it kills us. There is a shrine in the middle of it, and a city surrounding it. We'll go there."

Very looked at her skeptically, but he stretched his wings and legs and took off. Habernill was beside him almost instantly.

"We want to go toward that pyrimid." She pointed with a hoof. "You keep flying toward there, and wait for me. I am pretty sure there is a small oasis near each pyrimid. Go there, and I will meet up with you later." Very started to say something, but Habernill flew off swiftly. She was out of site in minutes. Very sighed and flaaped his aching wings harder toward the massive stone structure that never seemed to get nearer.

Anita collasped. She had run as fast and far as she could, toward an unknown goal that called to her. She found herself at the edge of the forest. She lay down, her legs outstretched, her chest heaving, with her tounge hanging out in an ironic grin.

Her son and husband had lost track of her long ago. They had returned to the lake side, catching petpets to eat, hoping Anita would find her way home. A storm turned over head. The lupes huddled together, wondering where everyone else was. Very and his new friend had dissapeered, and of course Anita was no where to be seen.

Anita fell asleep almost instantly. The blackness in her mind cleared, and she had another brilliant dream. She had finally returned to this place. Now where would she go? She stepped forward in her dream, looking around, examining her surroundings. Something had changed. She craned her head and looked at every inch of the world. Clouds were beneath her. They were firm underfoot, amking a soft path way toward a city. Anita looked around, and suddenly realized what was different. Unlike her hypnotizing dream that she struggled to get out of earlier, this was quiet. The creatures she had seen flying and jumping and playing were gone. The silence was deafening, in its own way. A shiver ran up her spine. She had warned that if she left, it would never be the same. Anita looked around anxously for her guide. She barked. Silence greeted her. She stepped forward. The clouds under her feet didn't solidify like they should have. She stepped back instinctivly. But there was nothing under her feet now. She fell, away from her dream world, her perfect world, and down into the darkness.

But something caught her. A rustle of feathers, a sharp breath, and Anita was lifted up. She was back! Anita yipped in joy. The red creature smiled at her, and continued to lift the lupe into the sky.

The creature deposited Anita on a cloud, and this one stayed firm under her wieght.

The creature, a red pteri, looked at Anita, its eyes deep with wisdom.

"What happened?" Anita blurted out, unable to contain herself.

The pteri looked around, deep in thought. The she said simply, "I told you, you leave and it is never the same again." Suddenly the cloud under Anita vanished, like the other, and Anita fell into the darkness again. This time, despite the lupes frantic cries, no one caught her, no one flew to her rescue. At the end of her fall, Anita was in darkness. Mud lay beneath her, cushioning her fall. Anita recognized this. She struggled, not wanting to be caught and trapped like she had been for so long. But the more she struggled, the more encased in the thick mud she became. With only her nose above the muck, Anita stopped her stuggling, and hoped against hope that someone would find her, and bring her out of the darkness again.

Habernill flew, everything a blur beneath her, racing, and winning against the wind. He huge wings carried her swiftly across the land. Habernills excellent vision, adapted to seeing things in perfect clarity even at this speed, scanned the ground. Finally, a city rose up fromt he desert. She slowed, and spiralled down. In the middle of the busy market place, Habernill found what she was looking for. Two can'teens made of hollowed fruit. She told the Aisha merchant to hold them, and walked off. Habernill found dropped coins in the loose sand easily. She had a knack for that, seeing things under the surface. Seeing better than an eagle from miles up had its uses on the ground. She payed for the can'teens, filled them up with water, and bought a few other fruits. She fastened a sling out of a scarf she bought, and placed her new items in there, before taking off. Very would never get out of this desert alive without help.

Morgan:

Zonk saw the black Uni foal clearly for a moment, but it just leaped over her head! The impudence! Zonk was many times older than she appeared, she didn't want to seem as old as she was. She was actually older than Moya. In Neopets years, she was 3000 years old. And a week old filly just jumped over her head like she was a rock on the ground? Oh no, Zonk did not like that. Not one bit. Before Ally had adopted her, she had been the finest hunter in Neopia. No one alive still knew her real name. She had made sure of that. She took off after the fool of a filly and was shocked when she knocked Kauvara, the wisest Kau in a century, to the ground and stole off! Zonk raced over to Kauvara and lifted the elderly Kau to her feet. She herself was far and beyond the eldest Kau in Neopia. She was no longer a beautiful starry Kau, though. She was a mutant Korbat because of that terrible filly! Zonk hated her with every fiber of her being. How could one so young be so evil? She quickly brewed up the correct potion, gave it to Kauvara, and took off once again after the black ball of flying fur that was so cruel to the respected potion master. She had rounded the corner and saw, with extreme horror, that the filly was destroying the door that lead to Kauvara's library, where NO ONE was allowed! Zonk was enraged. Seething, she charged into the room. She couldn't even bear to enter the room all of the way, the magic protecting the scrolls was too great. She was thrown out by a strong force and blacked out onto the wall opposite the door. She awoke briefly as the scourge trampled on her, but she noticed something before she blacked out. The monstrosity had her scroll! The one she had wrtten the millenia before! How could she?! How dare she?! Why... But the edges of her vision were blacking out. She had fainted.

Zonk awoke when a nose poked her gently. She could remember nothing, and she kept her eyes closed, trying to find something recognizable. "Zonk? Zonk? Are you ok now?" a childish voice rang out. It seemed carefree, but Zonk, and only Zonk, could tell how worried the voice was. Though it seemed full of impatience and annoyance, Zonk knew that whoever had just spoken was scared to death.

"Hush child! Let the poor creature rest! Zonk, as you call her, is still recovering!" A strong voice said. It was laced with worry as well.

Suddenly, Zonk realized everything. She remebered everything that had been blank moments before. Morgan! "I'm up! What happened?! Where that awful creature take my scroll?! What's going on?!" She screeched, startling the now relieved Morgan. Kauvara took a step back.

"What do you mean your scroll?! That was an ancient sorcerous's scroll, a kind yet powerful witch who wanted to give everlasting life to her friends! Her name was Laenyn and you, my dear, are not her! She was my friend and she..." Kauvara trailed off. She had said too much. Laenyn had wanted herself to be forgotten.

"You... Still remember me?" Zonk whispered. Her features were changing swiftly. Her black fur was swirling, the colour fading away. She turned a very light blue, but, more remarkable, she got cerulean blue swirls on herself. She still had wings, but they too were different. They were white with the same swirls as her fur, only they were pale yellow. She turned to face Kauvara, her eyes closed with concentration. Slowly, her eyes opened. This was not Zonk! It couldn't be! it? Her eyes were purple. She looked nothing like Zonk. Nothing at all.

"Laenyn? Can it be? But... I thought... You said..." Kauvara, for once, was at a loss for words.

Morgan stared at her friend, acting as though nothing was different. She knew that Zonk was better. Laenyn was her real name, she had known. She had also known why Zonk had changed, and if Zonk wanted to be Zonk, Morgan wasn't about to stop her.

"Morgan? Haven't you noticed my change?" Zonk was a tad bit worried. Why was Morgan so calm?

"You have always looked like that, Laenyn. I knew that you wanted your mask to remain unnoticed so... I held my tounge. It's up to you about your identity, not me." Morgan said, staring her straight in the eye.

"Laenyn... Why were you...?" Kauvara struggled for the words. Zonk knew what she was saying, luckily, and was able to answer.

"I learned of cruelty." That was all that needed to be said to Morgan and Kauvara. What else could be said?

Waka was shocked when Moya told him about Kriahz. What's gotten into her?!

Moya replied with one word that explained it all. Zhairk.

That was all Waka needed to hear to come back. They all teleported to the same stretch of the plains that Kriahz was in. They disguised themselves, and this time Waka even disguised their aura. Only a very select few could've detected them at this point, and Zhairk wasn't one of them. Possibly Kriahz... But Waka wasn't sure. What could he do?

Unbeknownst and forgotten to all, the bodies of those that Morgan had slain had drifted down into the lake that Lumino and his herd were hiding in. They slipped in with a sickening thwap and a splat. The blood was dried but it still melted out into the water. Several of the bodies hit the Unis, smearing blood on their pristine coats. Morgan had no idea of this, but certainly the Unis would notice.

Tasia:

Kriahz then ran very far away, Zhairk in her ear, urging her to take a right here, a left there. Eventually she came to a dried up river bed. Tiny shoots tried failed attempts to grow in clay. Kriahz was exhausted.

Oh, wonderful, Kriahz! I'm so pround of you!

Where are we?

The perfect place. Now all we have to do is rest here until the full moon rises. Why don't you take a rest?

But Kriahz couldn't take a rest, even though her limbs were heavy with fatigue. She kept on thinking about all the horrible things she had done. She had hurt that kau, who had been so kind to her, and broke her door, and been absolutely rude to Mikasi!

'But he's not Mikasi,' Kriahz thought 'he's Wakarimasen, the demon.'

Kriahz felt so horrible, and there wasn't Zhairk there to tell her Waka was evil. Kriahz wondered, not for the first time, if Zhairk wasn't only there when it wasn't an inconvenience to him. Mikasi wasn't like that. But then again, wasn't that a little unnatural?

TLT:

Very waited, panting in the strong sun. He tried to stay in the shade of the pyrimid, but it didn't take long for it to disapeer. Habernill had been wrong, there was no oasis of any sort here. A quick search of the area revealed only a hardened spot in the sand, where water had once been. A withered trunk stood nearby, a testament to a long dead palm tree. Very tried not to pant, knowing that prescous moisture left his mouth when doing that, but he coudnt help himself. His thick protective coat was useless, overheating him. The uni stoood, wobbling in the heat, waiting for water that might never come.

A dark lupe wandered through the dark forest. He reminised, thinking of when he was leader of a prosperous pack who had hunted this land long ago. He felt a pang of loss. The lupe howled a long sorrowful note. He stopped. The faint scent of a lone lupe was on the wind. He felt lust, wanting, needing a pack, a group of lupes to guide and train. The dark form leapt agily through the forest, never once recognizing the scent of his quarry.

Habernill looked once at the city that rose above the sandy desert, checked her supplies, and flew as fast as she could, travling with the wind, toward the pyrimid she had told Very to stay at.

Very wobbled. The heat got to him. His knees collapsed. Very found himself facing the sand. It alone was smooth among the waving world of heat. Very stared at he saw letters form in the sand, as if an invisble hand was drawing them. H-E-L-L-O. A chill ran down the Unis spine, even in the heat. Suddenly, Very remembered a small lupe pup, grass green, melding into the bushes perfectly, springing in mock attack onto Very's broad shoulders. Verin. The uni stared harder at the small, perfectly formed letters.

He didn't notice until she was right upon him that Habernill had come back. She landed with a hoof covering the first four letters, only an O remaining. Very looked at her astonished. His eyes were wide, a mix of fear and curiosity. Habernill backed away slowly, worried for her companion. The letters were gone, even the O, erased from the sand like they had never been.

Very shook his head, and gladly accepted the water and fruit Habernill offered him. He glanced at the sand again. He thought he could make out more letters but they disapeered in a sudden gust of cold air before he could read them.

A single point rose above the dark muck. If there had been any light, it would have been recognized immediatly as a lupe snout, a few periwinkle hairs around a glistening nose.

Anita's body was limp. Her mind had slowed, thoughts passing slowly through. She waited, wanting, willing an object to come to her aid, like that scaley tail that had apeared above her. She had used it to pull herself out of the darkness. But nothing came. She waited for something to take her out of the dark, to bring her back up toward the wonderful world above.

Tasia:

Wake.

Kriahz lifted her head from a dream. The dream had been so clear, but now it fogged away. She looked up Zhairk!

It's time.

Kriahz nodded. Khairk disappeared into her. Kriahz shivered at the feeling of a spirit entering her. Kriahz took the scroll to the middle of the riverbed and spread it out. She drew a large circlearound it with her horn. Then she drew a smaller circle also around the scroll, about one wingspan in diameter. Finishing it up, was careful not to step on her line in the sand. She was inside the smallest circle now, and she could feel the magic begin to consentrate in the circles. She looked down at the gold parchment. It was blank.

She stood there for a few seconds, afraid to fail for Zhairk, and the seconds seemed like hours. The lupe said What is it?

It- it, doesn't work! said Kriahz, nearly in tears.

Zhairks eyes gazed at the scroll Oh I get it. It needs blood.

Excuse me?

Put blood on it. Hurry up! We can't wait all night to do this!

Kriahz bit her lip, then scratched her front leg. "Ow!" she exclaimed, and blood oozed out.

That's right, Zhairk told her, and Kriahz turned her leg so that a drop fell on the parchement.

There was a moment as Kriahz almost felt pushed off the ground. When she looked down, there were words on the paper. Kriahz gasped,and began reciting the words. It came haltingly at first, then Kriahz got the jist of it.

Human life was terribly hard.

As a Grey Faerie, well, she no name anymore. She was more weak than a human. She had to feed herself, keep herself warm, bath herself. It was terrible, the Grey Faerie felt as if she had died. She had, in a way. The faerie part of her that died- and that was what she was. Was. Not anymore.

She did have reasons to be thankful though. The Grey Faerie would have died if it were not for Laquinti.

The words were coming out easy enough, but Kriahz was exhausted. She wanted to stop- but at the same time she wanted to help Zhairk. Finaly she mentaly gasped I can't go on,

Sleep, Kriahz, came the answer I'll take it from here.

Oh, thank you! Kriahz said, though she didn't have time to ponder how exactly Zhairk was going to do her job, for she was slipping into her dreams.

Zhairk took full hold of the foal's body, starting the chant exactly at the breath she had stopped. He realized that it was difficult to control this body while it still didn't belong to him. But it would. Oh yes, Zhairk would be back!

TLT:

Habernill relaxed in the slowly growing shadow of the pyrimid. Very lay next to her, but he wasn't sleeping like she was. He kept thinking of the letters drawn in the sand. An invisble pet? Some pet painted invisble could do something like that. But that didn't explain the sudden remembarance of Verin.

As he looked aimlessly over the desert, he saw movement in the corner of his eye. More letters on the sand. M-E V-E-R was written, before a gust of cold air blew the sand away. Very got that chill down his spine again. He spoke in a whisper, scared of the creature in front of him. How had he known that he was thinking of Verin? "W-who are you?" A gust of wind swirled around the uni. Very thought a second. "If you can move sand and write, can you answer yes and no questions?" As if an answer, a delicate Y was drawn in the sand in front of him

Very stared at it in astonishment. "Are you a neopet?" There was a pause, and an N was drawn over the Y. "Are you Verin?" The N was blown away, and a Y was drawn in its place. Fear was drilled into the Uni, and he got up suddenly. A gust of wind blew over him. "Hello?" There was no answer, no gust of wind, no carefully scrawled letters. Whatever it was, it was gone now.

The lupe continued to run through the forest. As he neared the edge, the smell finally hit him in full force. It screamed "Kwanita". Jerad stopped, and inhaled deeply. His quarry was still, sleeping. He approached slowly, thanking himself that he was upwind. What was that pup Kwanita doing here?

Tasia:

Shiko and Noe approached the alpha male and female, Shiko held his tail down, and Noe tried to look as submissive as her half breed body would allow. Her heavy tail was almost totally inflexible out of water, but she had her ears and neck down. However, every other second or so she would hear a new sound that would take her intrest, and her neck and ears would pop right up again.

Shiko made a show of rolling on his back for the alphas. Noe didn't know how she could duplicate this, so she made a prehistoric uni bow.

"Request of hospitality from Pehanoie," she made the slightest movement to the uniphin "and Komoshiko." he didn't look Ally or Wuff in the eye. Would they reconize him? Of course they would, he was Wuff's friend. Or maybe they wouldn't. Maybe Wuff had been so involved in his own family, he just simply forgot about him. Maybe he had forgotten him, and wouldn't trust him, and cast him out. Oh, Shiko hoped that Wuff wouldn't reconize him. Even acceptance would be worse then simply being forgotten. But, he owed them. He knew it. He waited.

Noe could stand it no longer "Please? Look, I know I'm not a lupe, and I know I'm a hybrid, but- you don't have to hunt for me! I feed myself! I don't even hunt. Oh, well, I mean, I could learn, I guess. But if you don't want to teach me that's alright! Look, I'm smart, well, sort of," but this was the point were Noe decided to shut up. He ears were red, and Shiko was glaring at her.

Morgan:

Waka, for once in his life, had no idea what over Kreludor was happening. He did know, however, that Zhairk had posessed his Kriahz! Waka was angry beyond anything that anyone had seen before. He seemed to blaze with fire. In fact, he changed from being invisible and opted to be flaming fire that never burned unbidden. His eyes, his fur, everything about him blazed. Even his scent was that of a wildfire. He. Was. Mad. But he didn't know how he could handle this. For the moment, he simply decided that the best course of action would be to CHARGE!! So he ran, fast as a bolt of lightning, toward Kriahz's body. He moved in a zig-zag pattern to make sure that he would not be hit and tkaen down. At least until he saved Kriahz. He didn't care what happened after that. Moya and Mosh tried in vain to hold him back, but they were scorched by the phony flames. Not one blade of grass was touched on them lightly to keep up his pace. He was a flaming blur. He was almost to Zhairk in Kriaz's body! He stopped suddenly and skidded over the lines on the circle Kriahz had drawn. He didn't want to hurt Kriahz's body. It would hurt the real her and he was sure of it. He growled warningly at Zhairk. Leave Kriahz ALONE! He was breathing heavily. As soon as Zhairk left, his flames would be extinguished and he would faint. He would be left a charred black and smell of a dying fire. He couldn't care less about himself at the moment. IT was physically, mentally, and psychically impossible. Kriahz HAD to be safe!

Laenyn knew something that Kauvara didn't. In that book, she had many spells for doing good deeds. There was also, however, a spell that wasn't quite as good. She had made it after she had experienced cruelty. It's purpose had been to send evil-doers away, down below, and have the good- and kind- hearted take over their bodies. That way, evil would be removed from Neopia. Of course, this all depended on who held the book. Evil could be widespread, or good. War or peace. Happiness or sorrow. The fate of Neopia copuld even be changed. That's why Laenyn had given it to her best friend. She had been sure no one would get it, especially after she faked her own death. Digging out of a six-foot-deep hole was nothing compared to the doom of the entire universe! She had changed her appearance and identity to help the charade. She was teased for changing form so often though. She had been trying to throw Kauvara off her trail, and the Lupes tormented her over it. Then they left her alone suddenly. She wondered why and went to investigate. They were picking on a small winged Lupe pup barely a day old! The nerve! Laenyn decided that she would shelter the little creature. Cruelty had hardened the sweet carefree child Laenyn had once been into a hating sneering adult. Morgan would never have that happen to her if Laenyn could do anything about it. Laenyn did everything, yet she still failed. Morgan had lost her mind, or rather her very clever mask, when Laenyn had left her only briefly. Laenyn knew about wearing a happy mask to ward off the world, dispense worry, and no longer be alone. She realized how wrong she was after awhile. After Morgan. She had changed. Now she actually was happy. She was worried about the precious scroll at the moment. "We need to go after it. Follow me!" Morgan and Kauvara raced after her, and Kauvara put up a sign saying

Quote:

Away gathering materials for Kauvara's Potion. Be back in a few days if the weather is good. Closed until then. A ward is on the door. Enter and get sick with Ugga Ugga. SHOO!

They could only hope to get there in time.

Tasia:

There was a disturbance in the magic. Zhairk stopped chanting. He felt of magic rise and fall like water, something had broke the circle! Zhairk fought to hold on to Kriahzs body, but the spell hadn't been done right. With Zhairk not having a firm hold on the body, and Kriahz fast asleep, the foal fell down limply, into sleep along with Kriahz.

"Did you pack enough food this time?" the cybunny said in a monotone.

The Grey Faerie grimaced "Yes."

The cybunny didn't say anything. She didn't like to talk. She was as bigger than a kougra, and built like one. Her head seemed small on her shoulders. Laquinti was born in the haunted woods. Largeness was just one of the mutations that could spawn from a child in the haunted woods, as the Grey Faerie knew.

She climbed onto the cybunny's shoulders "Off we go, to find the foal!"

Morgan:

Laenyn knew raced wildly towards the foal's scent, teleporting across large puddles left behind by the storm. It had stopped where they were, but continued in some parts of the plains. Laenyn was getting closer, she could feel it. She saw a small Lupe with wings skid towards the scourge, then collapse! They were almost on the edge of the horizon, almost ten miles away! Laenyn had very good eyesight. She decided to quicken her pace and muttered constantly under her breath. No one could quite make out the words, but they sounded something like "Ahntohk ahntohk ahntohk reekeeneenah! Ahntohk ahntohk ahntohk reekeeneenah! Ahrahnaj!", and everyone always had enough energy and speed to keep up with her. What she was chanting was "Need need need the energy! Need need need the energy! Hurry!" if you could translate it properly. After a quarter of an hour of top speed, she had finally reached them. She spoke to her comrades with telepathy to remain silent. Alright. Kill the foal and get the scroll. That is what we need to do to keep Neopia safe!

Waka, though unconscous, heard Laenyn. He woke up painfully. He had had to use up so much strength to get there and to break through the circle. He had been gravely injured, but he truly didn't care one bit. He heard the fool Lupe say "Kill the foal". That meant Kriahz! He needed to protect her. He recognized the speaker's voice, though he didn't remember from where. He suddenly realized that she was as powerful as him. What would he do? There was only one option. He stood up weakly and shakily and called out to the creature before him. Don't you dare go near her. I'll stop you by any means necessary. Don't test me. I mean it! his voice was weak and it shook like his legs were, not from fear, but from weakness. He meant every word.

What? That pup who was struck down by that... That thing, is trying to defend it? Why? Does it matter? Fine, I'll need to kill you if you do something like that though, I warn you. She needs to die. She ran towards the filly, teeth bared, whose eye was partially open at this point.

NOOOOOOOOOO! Waka screamed. He blocked Kriahz from Laenyn, who cut through him like a hot knife through butter. He stopped her though. That was all he cared about. He staggered toward her shocked form, bleeding heavily. He didn't care about what happened to him. Fight. desperate gasp for breath Me. desperate gasp for breath First! desperate gasp for breath Leave. desperate gasp for breath Her. desperate gasp for breath Alone! desperate gasp for breath Please! Waka was begging.

"Fight me first! Leave her alone! Please!" was what the almost-mortally wounded Lupe had said, and he had obviously meant it. She sighed, and decided to honor his request. If you insist, I'll kill you first. She slammed into his side, bruising half of his body and sending him flying. He landed with a sick thud, but rose once again. His powers were overused, he couldn't use them again for at least another week! He still rose and limped toward Laenyn. He was going at a slorg's pace, dripping enormous ammounts of blood with each step. But he came.

'Need. To. Stall. Kriahz. No! Please! Be okay!' Waka thought each word on a single step. A blur of colour once again slammed into him, and the world got a black and red haze around the corners. SLAM! It was spinning. SLAM! It was flickering. SLAM! It was completely red and black and hazy. SLAM! He was falling... He hit the ground hard. His breathing was raspy and weak, his heartbeat sluggish. Moya and Mosh had left him along the journey. They had finally gotten sick of him ignoring their existance. He was so alone. Kriahz had wanted him to leave, but he was too selfish to comply. At least he had tried to make up for it in the end. He tried once more to stand, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. Laenyn had cut him through. He gasped but fell all the same. He had failed.

Laenyn stared at what she had done. She was horrified. In a blind state of grief she fled to the woods. She would return, but now... She was feeling sick. What had she done?!

Wuff looked down at his old friend. "Shiko...? Is that really you? Get up! You don't need to do that! It's so good to see you! Whatever you want, take it! And Pehanoie, you are welcome to anything as well. You don't need to do anything! You are our guests! Come now! Sorry, we do not eat Unis, as you may recall. We eat petpets, and they are bountiful here! Go and do as you please! Please, be happy!" Ally agreed wholeheartedly. These were guests. They would be given anything they asked for that was attainable. It had been so long since she had seen Shiko, yet she remembered how he had helped take Wuff to Kauvara's. Wuff and Ally both felt that they owed him.

Tasia:

Her powerful nostrils caught something. Laquinti slowed. The Grey Faerie on her shoulders looked out "There it is! It's- dead."

Laquinti stepped foreward, almost over the two lupes fighting. She took a great sniff of the body. She growled "It's not."

The Grey Faerie stepped down "Your right. I can barely see it, but its chest moves up and down. Come on, let's get it back to the haunted woods! No telling how living outside of the haunted woods has tainted it already! Come on, Laquinti!" the giant cybunny lifted the foal onto her back, and the Grey Faerie got on, helping to support the foal. Laquinti reared, and they began across the plains.

Thereda wouldn't talk to anyone. The sadness of her first daughter leaving, and the shock of her second daugter disappearing had struck her silent. She had stood away from the herd, chewing the same clump of grass from the morning.

Trab wouldn't have been able to say anything to her- even if he wasn't expiriencing feelings similar. Every few minutes, he would stop a uni and damand "Have you seen Kriahz?" Eventually they all learned to avoid him.

Shiko felt shy, he righted himself "I, I, I'm sorry." it was all he could say.

Pehanoie was getting annoyed. She wanted to do something! She met level with the white lupe, Ally "So you used to be a uni?"

Gipha found quickly she prefered traveling by night. It was much cooler, and it gave her a feeling of being a night- huntress, even if she never did hunt. Now she was traveling over a dried river bed. The dirt was sandy, and Gipha didn't like the texture as much as the grass. However, a river does lead somewhere- even a dead one. And that's where she was going, somewhere.

She saw something up ahead. Ears perked, nose outstretched, she approached slowly. As she stepped foreward, the thing took form. It was a lupe pup! Walking closer, she saw it had wings- just like the pup her mom had brought home. But this one looked weak- totally devoid of pigment, and obviously dead.

Gipha felt a great sadness. Did it make any sense that a baby, not even a few weeks old, now lay dead alone? Where was it's family- were they looking for it? It seemed to her sad that it's family might never know what happened.

Then again, maybe it was a good thing. She remembered Anita's anguish after her pups had died. Gipha then shed a tear. The death of Anita's pups had been one of the reasons she had left the herd. She just couldn't stand the thought of babies dying.

...And yet, here, all alone, babies did die. And it was even worse, because there was no one to cry for him.

Then it came to her- a memory. The morning after Anita's pups were slaughtered, a fellow lupe pack had visited- the lupes who didn't hunt unis. Their pups were winged, she remembered. Perhaps, this pup was part of that family?

She picked it up- in her front teeth, ever so gentle- the way she had seen Anita carry her infants devoted. She began toward where she knew the pack's territory was. No matter how hard the mother would take it, this pup deserved someone at his funeral.

Morgan:

Laenyn lay, gasping for breath, beside a pond. She had killed a puppy! What had she been thinking?! She was horrified with herself. All she could do was lay down and try to forget the look in Waka's eyes. That blank glazed over look. It had said that he had failed. What had she done? She couldn't stop crying, even when there were no more tears left in her. She fell asleep sobbing. She kept dreaming through the scene over and over and over and over... It never seemed to end! Morgan and Kauvara just sat in the shade of a tree and watched over her.

((OOC: Note: This happened before Gipha found Waka.))

Moya and Mosh were speaking angrily to each other, critisizing Waka when Mosh smelled something. ". . . Blood. A lot of it! It... It's Waka's blood! Over there!" They teleported there in time to see Waka being killed. They couldn't move, paralyzed by shock. How?! Why?! Then they saw Kriahz. She looked dead to them. No! NO! NO! This couldn't be! It... NO! The muderous creature, feeling belated remorse, ran off. Waka was... He was dead! And they hadn't lifted a finger to stop his death! They had just watched it happen! Oh gosh, this was AWFUL! They flew over to Waka to see if they were mistaken. They weren't. He was covered in blood, torn up into pieces almost, just not all the way through. Moya hopefully sent out a Healing Wave, but all it did was make his lifeless form look a little better. Moya couldn't bring back the dead. They ran off wailing, crying, and screaming. They felt absolutely awful. Why hadn't they helped him?! In their horrified state while watching their best friend who they had been bad-mouthing moments before die, they completely ignored the large beast stepping over the fight.

Waka was crying. Kriahz was being kidnapped! He ran off after them, passing through trees to go after her. He was a ghost now, dead, but more alive than ever. He could hear now! He no longer had his powers, but why would that matter? He needed to follow Kriahz, be it to the mountains, the plains, the forest, no matter where, he just needed to be with her, protect her, see her. His whole life after meeting her had been about her. Why should his death be any different?

Ally gave a half smile to Noe. "Yes, I was a Uni at one point. Kauvara gave me a potion and I turned into a Lupe. It's a dream come true! Why do you ask, Pehanoie?" Ally's grin widened. She was happy to talk to someone new for once.

Uni:

Shagya cleared her mind blank, struggling to keep hold of her shield.
As she dared to open her eyes, there was a heavy BLAM on her shield, and it almost cracked open. Next moment, blood flooded her view, blinding red spilling everywhere.

Disgusted, Shagya blew some air into her bubble, and resurfaced. Frowlickle immediately came to greet her by sinking his claws deep into the bubble, bursting it. Shagya sank with a indignited neigh into the blood-red water, but flew out of it immediately, her beautiful wings perfectly clean.

Even Frowlickle was stunned at the Uni's fresh beauty. Even the specks of blood on her immaculate coat didn't manage to make her less elegant in her flight, her soaked mane only added jewels of water to her neck, and the thunder above increased the feeling of imperiousity that glimmered in her look.
Shagya's clear blue eyes burned with a raging flame, and shot a beam of mental power to the Lupe, blasting him onto a tree. Snorting with both satisfaction and anger, Shagya teleported herself away, to the Forest.

TLT:

Fwanta flew over head. She had just come back from the lab ray, a torture she endured only because of the benefits. Her stats were upped, and she changed colours and species, or at least, so LT claimed. Fwanta hadn't believed her until today, when her feathers changed colour, from red and tan, to dark and bright blue. "Electric" the human had called it. Very strange...

She followed the Unis far behind. She was stuck in a storm, her colour matching her surroundings. She zipped between lighting bolts with ease, giggling as she did so. Now where did those uni's go?

Jerad's legs stiffened, and his hackles raised. He bared his teeth, and jumped over the bush that stood between him and his enemy. He was so startled by the sight he saw, he stopped in mid leap, crashing back down to earth. He scurried to his feet quickly.

Anita lay, her legs spread out, her eyes glazed, her touge laying. Jerad stood above her. He heard only a very faint heartbeat. The female lupes breath was slow and labored. Jerad instinctivly looked around. If something managed to do this to such a strong willed young lupe, Jerad knew he was no match for it. He lifted his head, but smelled nothing. He had some from downwind, so it was unlikely to have come from there. He sniffed the ground, there was no sign of anyother creature around, no sign of a battle. He looked again and that half dead lupe and shuddered. What happened?

Tasia:

"That's, that's, great!" then Noe grew quiet for a moment.

"Shiko, is that you?"

The lupe looked at the red female. She looked like something from a dream "Fay?"

"Shiko!" the red lupe bounded to meet him "We all thought you were dead!"

"Better then dead, if that's possible! Can we talk?"

Noe saw Shiko leave with the red lupe. A female red lupe, and Shiko thought she was pretty- that was obvious! Noe felt so- out of place. She looked into the eyes of Ally "Can I, tell you a secret?" it came so sudden, Noe hadn't been expecting it.

But she was interrupted by the pounding of hooves. Noe turned. There was a red uni- the new breed- on the horizon. It slowed when it neared the alphas. It laid something at their feet, but suddenly got the feeling she didn't want to know what it was. She ran in the other direction.

Gipha's eyes hurt. She had been crying on the run here, and now the salt had hardened in her eyes, chapping them. She could barely look at the dead puppy or the parents. She said, barely audible "I'm sorry."

A bird sang, far off. Kriahz opened her eyes- they felt like lead. She heard a growl "Your awake."

It took her a moment to clear things in her sight- it was so dark! But she saw- a huge creature- black, with an orange and red ruff. Kriahz screamed.

"Don't yell." the creature purred.

Kriahz, breathing heavily, spoke "What do you want with me?"

"You," it was a new voice, clear and beautiful, but at the same time monotonous and dead, and also cruel and hateful. An animal stepped out behind the giant creature, it stood on two legs, hard to see in the dark. It was gray and looked lifeless, but Kriahz recognized the face.

"Magik!"

The faerie looked surprised, then looked sad "I was."

"What happened?"

She shrugged "The small lupe made me like this. But it is all part of the profecy."

Kriahz didn't hear the last part of her sentance "Uncle Shiko!" she said visciously, then she began to cry "I hate this world! Everyone in it is evil!"

The Grey Faerie couldn't really say anything to make her feel better. Not anything true, anyway.

"Mystyc-" the giant animal began

"My name is Kriahz. Mystyc was the name the demon Wakarimasen gave me."

"What? I- oh no, He has already gotten to you, hasn't he?"

"What do you mean?"

The Grey Faerie sighed "Mystyc, Zhairk has been trying to get a hold of you ever since before you were born. Think about that name he gave you- Kriahz. It's his, backwards. Waka- was trying to save you by giving you your true name."

"No!" Kriahz screamed "lies! All lies! Zhairk loves me! He would never hurt me!"

"Love? Oh no, dear, that beast feels anything but love for you."

"No! He loves me and I love him! AND HE'S NOT A BEAST!"

She then sprinted, but the cybunny reached out a claw and grabbed her. Kriahz fought, but it was no use "Don't let her get away." the Grey Faerie ordered.

Morgan:

"Sure! I can keep a secret! What is it?" Ally asked eagerly. Ally was leaning in to hear Noe's secret when Gipha ran up to her and lay something at her feet. "No... It can't... No! Please no! Please don't let it be!" Ally whispered, scared and sad. It was her son, the one that had kept her living by thinking at least one had survived. Ally fell to her knees "NO!" Tears were pouring and Ally didn't notice. She stared at her eldest son. She gingerly sniffed him. She jumped back and growled visciously. She smelled her foster daughter on him. "I took that little..." she muttered quite a few words not meant for children's ears "in out of the cold world and this," she motioned sharply to her dead child "is how she repays me? No! I smell Morgan here as well! A conspiracy!" She lunged wildly for her remaining children, but Wuff restrained her.

"Ally, calm down! This won't save Wakarimasen! You can't bring him back! It wasn't them! It was Zonk, she corrupted Morgan. We shouldn't have let them leave. Hush now, Ally, please!" Wuff said hurriedly into Ally's ear.

"REVENGE! REVENGE! REVENGE! I. oof Need. oof To. oof Get. oof REVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENGE! AwOoOoOoOoOo! Wuuuuuuuuff! Lemme go! LET ME GO!" Ally shrieked insanely. Her children backed away slowly at first, then took off. They ran into the horizon. They reached the clearing where the Unis were quickly in their frenzied state.

"Please, sir, please! We need to stay here! Just for a little while, please! We need to stay away from Mother for awhile, she went insane when some red Uni brought her dead son, our elder brother, to her. She thought we had done it, but we hadn't, sir! We hadn't!" Nami said desperately to Lumino. She was terrified.

Waka reached Kriahz quickly and eavesdropped on what was happening now that he could hear. Kriahz's voice sounded like music to him. Now he understood what was happening, at least a little bit better. She had called him a demon! He was saddened by this a great deal, but nothing could compare to what she said next. "I love him!" She loved... Zhairk?! No! No... Please no! He stepped out of the shadows and came up to Kriahz. He asked her a question. "Kriahz, did you see who protected you and who hurt you back there?" There were pale tears on his ghostly face. "Did you?!" He wasn't angry, just desperate. She had to know what he knew. He needed to help her somehow. He just wasn't sure how, exactly.

Tasia:

She put her ears back. Ally behaved, just as Anita had. Ugh, she coudn't take it! She should have left the child! Gipha ran, but she couldn't escape her pain.

"No, not again," Fay got as close to Morgan as possible.

"What happened."

Fay sighed "Long ago, the deaf pup of Ally's first litter ran away. Later, the rest of that litter died of a disease. Those pups you see- those are her second litter."

"Now, her last pup of the first litter is dead," Shiko said quietly, and Fay nodded.

Suddenly, the gray blue lupe said "Where is Noe?"

"You mean that strange fish- uni you came with? I- I have no idea," she felt in her throat. Why should Shiko care about that freak?

"I have to find her! Noe? Pehanoie!"

Oh, it's you, but further inspection revealed something different Your talking out loud! and then she realized "Your- dead!" she began to shake "Your no demon, oh my- what have I done?" and she began to cry "How can this happen to you?" then her tone became much lower "Who did it? Was is Zhairk? I'LL KILL HIM!"

"You can't kill him dear," Magik put in.

"Then he'll suffer, ten times worse than what he did to Wak- Mikasi. There has to be a way!"

Uni:

Lumino looked bewieldered, but Shagya made an impressive interruption by flying overhead and dropping the unconscious Frowlickle at her father's feet.

"Oh - wha - SHAGYA! Oh, my god, you've - "

" I - father! Aw ... you're all so cute!"

Shagya reached down and nuzzled adoringly Nami.

"Shagya, I - "

"What are they doing here, father? Don't they belong to the vegetarian pack?"

Lumino couldn't resist a warm laugh. His daughter's eyes glittered.

"Well, they have a wierd story ... go on ... don't be afraid, that's my granddaughter, Shagya ... "

But the pups didn't have the tiniest sign of fear as they told their story again.

"Well, father ... "

"They can stay," Lumino said, torn between confusion and joy.

"Oh, thank you!" Shagya cried, hugging gently a pup between her silky wings.

Morgan:

Nami and the other pups were finally feeling at ease. They told their story to Shagya without fear. They could trust her, they hoped. They allowed themselves to be cuddled by the Unis except Nagrom, who kept chasing butterflies but falling on her face, only to get up and try again. She was adorable!

Mikasi felt happy that Mystyk wanted to get him revenge, and he at least wanted her to know how he had died. He had one ability left, but he was afraid to use it. If he entered her body, she would know EVERYTHING he had ever thought, seen, felt... Etc. But it might overwhelm her or make her feel worse. "Mystyk, I want you to know how I died, but... I'd need to enter your body. I know this happened before and you got scared, so I don't know what I should do. It's entirely up to you. It will also explain Zhairk's role in my death, he was involved. Mystyk, all I ever wanted was to be with you. All I ever wanted was have you care for me back. Zhairk destroyed that. I hate every atom of his soul, but I can't change the past. I can't change it so I could have a body and live with you. We can no longer be mates. Yes, I am dead. No, I will never leave you. Mystyk, I love you more than you can know right now, but if I enter your body, you'll know everything about me. It's all up to you, Mystyk" he bowed before her, awaiting her response.

Laenyn rose. The scourge's prescence was gone. She had just figured everything out. The scourge had been posessed, and the pup was in love with the creature. Oh no, what had she done?! Morgan and Kauvara comforted her and they returned to Kauvara's shop in a silent procession. What was there to say?

TLT:

Jerad sniffed the young lupe again. He shuddered. Something wasn't right. Suddenly, the periwinkle lupe kicked, a spasm running through her body. She let out a whine from her throat, and her jaws snapped blindly into the air. Then, she was still again.

In her dream world, Anita saw movement. There was something just above her. She could sense it. She gave a mighty leap, and tried to bite whatever it was above her. She wanted desperatly something to pull her above the darkness. She missed, and sunk down deeper than before.

Very wanted to wake up Habernill, but something told him not to. A faint whisper at the back of his mind. No, wait for us to meet. The vioce cooed. Let her sleep. The letters started again, drawn slowly on the sand.

GO TO THE FOREST

Very stared at the messege. What was in the forest? The sand blew back into place with a gust of wind, and the invisible hand began again.

GO! GO NOW!

It was written quickly, to urge the point. A sudden large gust of wind blew over the unis, stand stinging, digging deep into their hide. Habernill woke instantly. A small whirlwind of sand started blowing toward them. The unis could feel the sand hitting them harder and harder. Habernill grabbed their supplies and launched herself into the air, Very following suit.

"What happened?" Habernill asked once they were high above the sand.

Very shook his head. What would she think of a ghost? The ghost of a very young lupe puppy with whom he had become friends? "Nothing." He shook his head again. "Nothing at all."

Fwanta flew back toward the forest where he had seen the unis enter. He grumbled as he flew. "Stupid Lab Ray," He muttered. "Nothing is left alone with that thing." A spear of lightening shot past him. He tuned his feathers minutly, changing his course a drastically with just a twitch. He rocketed upwards, challenging the lightening, and flying up through the thick black clouds. He flapped his wings once more, and burst through the storm up into the bright sunshine above. "Take that, Storm!" He shouted to himself triumphantly.

He flew a ways until he could see the forest. He dove down into the depths of the trees, and swerved around them, manuvaring incredibly in such a tight space. He beamed when he reached the edge, smiling at no one. He flew close the ground, weaving around the edge trees, searching for the unis. At one point, he saw two lupes, one blue one on the ground, one black one standing over it.

The pteri flew one without stopping though, and soon he came to where a group of unis huddled together. He stopped to rest for a second in a high branch, then dived down into the middle of the group screeching "MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" He dove between legs and over backs, raking the back of a few select unis backs gently with his talons. His little scene done, Fwanta perched on a branch at eye level with the unis and gave a mild chirp, his eyes glinting mischiviously.

Jerad felt a stab of pity for the fallen lupe. She had killed his son, but he had gotten his revenge, something he still chuckled at occasionally. And anyway, if he wanted to fight her, like he needed to so desperatly for his ego, it wouldn't be much of a match if she was lying on the ground, already half dead.

He nuzzled the lupe, urging her to stand up. She opened her eyes and stared at him. They were glazed over, cloudy, empty. She stood up easily, but her eyes stayed the same. She did nothing to prove that she recognized Jerad. He snarled his teeth at this. She didn't even remember his ruthless sloughter of her children! He jumped at her, and was completely surprised when the periwinkle lupe stood there, letting his teeth sink into her throat. Jerad backed. He called her. "Kwanita! Come here!" The lupe swung her head, looked at him with those empty eyes, and moved toward him. Jerad watched her walk clumsily over the grass, and a plan began to form in his mind.

Uni:

Several Unis neighed in disapproval as something blue scrached their backs. Shagya jumped before the pups and opened her large wings to shield them. Closing her eyes, the Uni sent a magnetic wave, that spread around, before catching Fwanta's hiding place, and streaking towards the Pteri.
The invisible force slammed into the tiny Neopet and made it fall from its branch, where it was promptly shut in a mind bubble by Shagya.

"Hum? A Pteri? A tiny, minuscule Pteri, attacking my herd?" Lumino laughed. "Well ... Shagya; keep this fellow in the bubble, the pups can play with him until he understands that our herd isn't a play-toy!"

Shagya smiled as she backed away from the Uni-Lupes, who bounded towards the terrified Pteri, stepping on the unconscious white Lupe who was lying on the ground at the same time.
Orora's daughter attached Frowlickle with mind chains, and hung him on a tree.

Tasia:

Mystyc hated what he said, she didn't want to believe it. She didn't want him to enter her- not just because she was scared, but because she would see from his point of view of all she had done to him. She yelled suddenly "How could you have been so loyal to me? Now you...beause if it you're..." she couldn't bring herself to say the word. She knew then, that Zhairk would have to pay. She nodded, a yes.

"Who is she talking to?"

Laquinti looked at her with a surprised look "Can't you tell?"

The Grey Faerie shook her head.

"It's the uni lupe, and her love. That is her power- she may see the dead."

"What are they doing?"

Laquinti told her.

"Wait!" the Grey Faerie told the foal, but when she looked into her eyes, they were different. It was too late.

The Grey Faerie sighed "She was sopposed to help us exorcise Zhairk from the earth. How will she now?"

She felt the fire cybunny knew, but Laquinti didn't say anything.

Zhairk was having the strangest dream. It involved a Faerie, a monster, and a ghost. In the dream, he felt a funny feeling in his heart. It was a terrible pain, brought on when he saw the ghost. What was this? It was emotion, it was pain, it was something Zhairk didn't know how to feel.

Quite suddenly, he was slammed out of his dream, and woke up. He smelled the air. Yes, now the body was his!

...But wait, he still had no heartbeat. There was a pulse- it was huge, and almost absorbed him. It was like the pulse of the earth! Yet, his own heart did not beat. In fact, he did not feel the heaviness of a body. Zhairk looked around. It was a void. There was nothing but him.

Wait! In the corner, something. It at once seemed larger than life and small and feeble. Zhairk, with caution, approached it.

He knew, by senses only the dead have, that it was the ghost of his dream, and his opposition while trying to control the foal. Wak- Wak-- it was as if he could not think that name, a force stopped him from using it. Mikasi. It was Mikasi.

And as he waited in this void, he realized what had happened. He was in the body, but he had no control over it. He was waiting for his turn and, THE FOAL WAS STILL HERE! He growled, suddenly, at Mikasi "This is your fault!"

Mystyc had no idea of any of this. Instead, she was living Mikasi's life all over again.

The first thing Waka was aware of and the last thing Mystyc was aware of was silence. That was before Mystyc forgot herself in Mikasi. Silence. It was very lonely. But he did have one friend- Mosh, the psimouse. Then there came that day when his so called brothers and sisters mocked him- he could not hear the mocking, but he could feel it as he entered their minds. S/he felt anger as he ran away, and awe at the sight of the water faerie Moya. Then life grew very dark, and something new entered it- a being who called itself Akaw. The body of Mystyc shed tears as Waka and Akaw killed Waka's only friends, and there was confusion when he saw his siblings- those who had teased him, dead. Then joy when he met Moya and Mosh once again and then, adorration, when he met a little black foal who laughed a lot- but not at him-

Mystyc wanted to escape, but she couldn't. Waka felt first happiness while getting to know Kriahz- now Mystyk, but confusion as Mystyk drifted away from him. And something underlying it all. A great compassion, a deep care, for Mystyc.

"Oh," Mystyc said "He loves me." and, she started to cry "Oh Mikasi, I love you too!"

And then, a great change came about Mystyc.

Mystyc, the child, had never thought about hurting someone, but Zhairk had. Same, Zhairk had never felt compassion, but Mystyc had. And now their souls were swirling...

"The lupe!" the foal growled "The blue lupe! She responcible!"

And inside of Mystyc, Zhairk was saying "And I know her name. It's"

"Laenyn! Why, that wetch!"

What was going on? In the conversation, Mystyc appeared to change into a different person. The Grey Faerie- once a bestower of fear- now quaked, and she didn't know why. Laquinti munched on grass. Wait- Laquinti never ate! The Grey Faerie took a hold of her ruff with surprizing strength "What do you know?"

Laquniti looked at the Grey Faerie sadly "Mikasi must destroy Zhairk."

"So he can't fail?"

"Oh, but that's what I fear."

The Grey Faerie turned around "Where is Mystyc?"

Her nose worked like a lupes! It was wonderful! Mystyc sped up, nothing could stop her! She would get her revenge!"

TLT:

Fwanta felt himself knocked off his perch by an invisble force. He was surounded by something. He flicked a wing out and it rebounded back at him. He glared a large golden uni who was talking. He was lowered toward the ground, and several odd lupes with wings bounded toward him. He looked at them for a moment, and then stared back at the unis. He smirked.

"LT was right, You unis are too stubborn, hard headed, and serious. No wonder she let VeryVain go." Fwanta smiled as he saw several ears perk in intrest. "She says Unis make the very worst pets. They are messy, rude, and very demanding. I never actually got to meet the fabled Very, so I don't know for sure. But LT is rarely wrong.Now if you'll excuse me, I think she's calling me. Its about time for my daily zap." He smirked again, then shrieked a loud peircing scream. Most of the unis winced, and the strange lupes all backed away in pain. Fwanta felt the bubble around him waver momentarily, and he flapped his wings and managed to break loose. He shot up from the ground and dissapeered into the tree tops. He smiled as he flew quickly back toward civilization.

Very couldn't shake the feeling of overwelming unease. He shifted his wings nervously and glanced over the huge expanse of forest on the horizon. Home was somewhere over there.

But that brought up a different problem. Had the ghost, or whatever it was, been talking about the forest at the endless plains, or about the Haunted Wood, or even about any other forest in Neopia. As soon as Very thought about this, understanding flooded into his mind. The woods where Very had met Anita, where he had taken shelter from the storm, Where he had explored and plaid. Memories falshed uncalled for in the unis mind. He saw Anita as he had the first time. She was boucing around playfully, looking much more like a puppy than the adult she was. Then another picture, a new one. The image of the periwinkle lupe laying spread out on the ground, and an evil looking lupe staring at her greedily. Very understood at once. Anita was in danger. The fatherly feeling that the uni had for the small lupe welled up inside him. Without consulting Habernill, he shot toward the huge looming forest of head of him. Almost instantly, the spotted mare had appeared in front of him, shaking her head.

"Silly stallions," she muttered. "We have to get some supplies first. Some water, some food, things like that." She nodded toward a gleaming city in the distance. "Come on, crazy." She flew in the opposite direction of Very. He looked over the forest and back toward Habernill. As horrible as he felt about it, he flapped after the mare. Whatever force that was communicating with him was not happy about the change of direction. After a while, the force relented, but Very could tell it was reluctant.

Jerad worked with the fallen lupe constantly. He managed to get it under his control. She followed him, head bowed, wherever he went. There was no life, no spirit in her eyes, and it was an easy matter to control her. She followed him easily, and did nothing without someone telling her. Jerad found her the perfect servant, never really conscous, never arguing, never questioning authority. Jerad had made her a niche in the world. And his plans had only just begun.

Morgan:

"How could you have been so loyal to me? Now you...beause if it you're..." Mystyk said. Mikasi would've responded, but she nodded and he entered her body. He saw Zhairk, who growled at him.

"This is your fault!"

"Oh what, it's my fault that you didn't... That Mystyk is safe?!" Mikasi retorted, unable to finish his first thought.

"Oh Mikasi, I love you too!" Mystyk said.

'What?! Really?! Oh my gosh! She does?! Oh, I'm so happy now!' Mikasi thought joyously.

"Mystyk, What is it that makes me so loyal to you? That made me die for you? It's love, Mystyk. I couldn't have lived with myself if..." He trailed off. Mystyk had found out about Laenyn. "NO MYSTYK! SHE'S A POWERFUL SORCEROUS! SHE'LL HURT YOU! PLEASE DON'T MYSTYK! PLEASE!" Mikasi sobbed to her "Please, Mystyk, I love you... Killing Laenyn to avenge me won't bring me back! PLEASE! Please don't sobsobsob Please..." He had seen her soul and Zhairk's soul combine. Oh no, what had he done?! "MYSTYK! THIS ISN'T LIKE YOU! ZHAIRK IS COMBINED WITH YOU! YOU ARE ACTING LIKE ZHAIRK NOW! NO! P-p-please!" Mikasi was getting colder as he neared where Zhairk had been moments before. He had to destroy Zhairk, but that might hurt Mystyk since they were so closely entertwined. "Mystyk! I need to destroy Zhairk! What do I do?!" he sobbed a few times before continuing softly "What should I do...?"

Laenyn had reached Kauvara's shop. She was empty-handed and empty inside. Wakarimasen had been only a week old! She had... She couldn't think about it. She started to rewrite the scroll from memory. Suddenly it hit her. The spell could be used to resurrect the pup! She could bring him back if she did everything just right! But what body could she use? Her own, perhaps?

"Don't even THINK it, Zonk!" A small voice said harshly from the door. It was Morgan.

"How did you--?"

"Okay, look. I've been hanging around you my entire life, short as it is, and I know everything about you. You are NOT going to leave me!"

"Morgan, I... But--"

"BUT NOTHING!" Tears were on Morgan's face now. Her only friend was going to leave her because of honor?! PSHAW! ((A/N: Puh-shah))

"Alright already!" Laenyn didn't want Morgan to cry. She sighed heavily. How could she fix this? Maybe... Another Lupe? She motioned to the others hurriedly and they took off for the woods. They'd find some Lupe in there, patrolling the borders. They had to.

Tasia:

She stopped. Mikasi told her what danger she would be if she went after Laenyn. But, Mystyc thought about it a moment "Don't worry about me. If I die, we'll be together forever!" and she continued on.

Zhairk looked at Mikasi "What is- what is happening to me?" then he said "don't worry Mikasi, we will avenge you!"

At the herd, three soulds were in distress.

There was Trab, who had gone silent. Then there was Thereda who- saw the pups and tried to get involved in their games. Some mares looked over and were disturbed to see the respected dam rolling near some lupe pups, and quickly got her to stand on her feet. "I'm sorry Gipha, I didn't know this was your flower," she would mumble things like this.

Deeper into the forest, Fay and Shiko were talking.

"She's probably left me. You know she used to follow me? Oh- how I miss her." Shiko sobbed without pride.

"So your going to let her get away from you?"

He just looked at her.

"Shiko, it seems you are very stupid, or maybe I am wrong but, Shiko, you love her."

Shiko pulled back "But, she's a uniphin, and I'm a lupe."

"So? What about Ally and Wuff?"

"Their different,"

"How?"

"Well- for one, Ally wasn't a hybrid."

"Shiko, I can't believe your letting a thing like that get in the way of true love!"

Shiko looked at her "What happened with Phunis?" he said quietly.

Fay looked dark "We- parted ways. Soonly after- he died."

Shiko looked at her sympatheticly. Fay explained that Phunis had been caught hunting neopets in the city, and had been caught and skinned "They hung the pelt on from the Defenders of Neopia building for everyone to see." she spat "Monsters."

Shiko let these things tumble in his mind "I'm not going to let anything like that happen to Noe. Heck, I wouldn't even let her get a buzzer bite! No, I don't want her to feel any pain." he paused "unforchunettely, she has felt pain. The worst kind, I think. I want her to realize that, I'll always be there-" he stopped himself. He turned around, and Fay was smiling. "I, I do love her! Oh, I have to tell her!"

He ran back out of the forest.

Fay began to follow, but she caught a scent. She put her nose to the ground, and continued deeper into the forest.

First, she found a little yellow pup. It wasn't who she was looking for but- wait! It had Laenyn's scent! Mystyc growled at it. A uni- growling?

But wait, Laenyn's aura- she felt it. She turned. There was the blue lupe. She said with a throaty voice "You are going to pay for what you did to Mikasi!" she charged, her unsharpened horn aimed perfectly- perfectly!- for a kill.

Morgan:

A black foal, no. THE black foal, the scourge, was speaking to her. "You are going to pay for what you did to Mikasi!"

She had to get the scroll-- Where was it?! No time to think about that, the scourge was charging at her! She flew up into the air to dodge the blow and landed on her to bite her wings. She tore them off. The foal couldn't fly now. Her blue fur was melting back to it's original black hue. She was Zonk once again. Suddeny, Morgan fell to her knees and screamed.

Memories were rushing back to Morgan. Memories she didn't want. She saw Waka, Mikasi, the dead pup, for what they really were through them. He... Was her brother! She had sided with her friend and allowed her to murder her brother! She had caused this foal to attempt to murder Zonk! It was her fault! "NOOOOOOO!" she bellowed as she charged at Mystyk suddenly. She would at least make sure Zonk would live. Zonk couldn't leave her! Nothing could change that! She would defend her with her life if the need arose. She understood her fallen brother a bit better now. This was friendship, though, but it was still almost the exact same thing. Zonk would live. She had to! Zonk had flown off of the foal's back and was diving down down down...

Zonk stopped mid-dive. She would slice Morgan in half if she didn't stop! Morgan lunged toward Mystyk... Why was she suddenly so rash?! She... Was protecting Zonk with her life! "No..." Zonk whispered, but the wind stole the words away.

Nagrom ran up to Thereda, beaming wildly, and rolled in somersaults around her time and time again. She laughed insanely the whole time. After about 300 circles, she jumped up and wobbled around, still giggling. After she was no longer dizzy, she jumped straight up and down. "Ya wanna plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay with me?! Do ya wanna plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay with me?! Dooooo yuh? Dooooo yuh? Pweeethe pweeeease?!" Nami looked at her and shuddered.

That sad excuse for a sister was acting insane again. And to such a dignified creature! The nerve! She shuddered involuntarily. They had the same parents, what if Nami herself turned out like-- Nuh-uh. No. She sighed heavily and searched out the silent Trab. "Good sir, if I may, why have you been silent as of late?"

Moya, the last of the litter, smiled serenely at her two sisters. They were so different and so funny! She slowly stood up and wandered around for a good while, smiling sweetly at every creature in sight. She finally reached Lumino, who had a beautiful golden coat. Moya, never one to keep a compliment silent, said in a quiet sort of way "You have a very beautiful coat, sir." She bowed to him, then turned to leave. She spotted the Uni who had bound the Lupe to the tree and spoke to her in the same quiet voice, not looking up at her, but down at her paws in a kind of half bow. "Good lady, why did you hang that Lupe up in the tree? I don't mean to critisize you, but if he was Uni hunting, you can't blame him. He does need to eat. You eat grass and he eats Unis. Is there something wrong with that, miss?"

Tasia:

Zhairk breathed "So the foal has taken on my hate?" Mikasi was still yelling "Ah! Will you stop that infernal racket?!?" he jumped to attack.

The pain was incredible. Now she would NEVER fly! Not that it mattered, her life was close to being over. Thinking about this, Mystyc chuckled "You think you will stop me from getting revenge by killing me? Quite not so, for by killing me you take care of the other two, besides yourself, responsible for Mikasi's death." and her eyes- were a mixture all anguish.

Something was above her. Mystyc looked up. The yellow pup jumped on her back. Mystyc, being only slightly bigger than it, easily threw it off, and got her face close to hers "Now listen, my grievance is not with you. Stay out of the way- or I can all four of us."

She now looked up. A black pup was in the sky over her. No, it was still the same "You cannot diguise yourself from me, Laenyn!" she reared, and reached her front hooves to hit the lupe.

"Gipha!" Thereda cried, and again got level with the pup. The mares looked at each other and shook their heads. The dam was most definately going crazy.

Trab looked at the pup sadly "Why am I silent? Because I am a failure, that's why. I left my eldest, and taught her that she can never trust a male. The second time I left her, I cemented that lesson in her mind. I helped to bare a sick foal- though what her ailment is baffles me. Now, one daughter is grown, the other lost, and I, unable to search, for the vow that I made."

Every uni lifted their head at a call "HEY SHEEK!"

And, here she came: Pehanoie! She ran to Shiko. It was her, it was her! It was all that could go through his mind as she spoke "I hope you like it. It's just, I was tired of being a halfbreed, but I can't stand living as a uni or a peophin. And, the coolest person I met was a lupe,"

And then, shone her eyes, fear: fear that Pehanoie had made a mistake, for she could not go back. Pehanoie was an orange lupe; but her coat was bright and tangerine colored.

"Your beautiful. Just as beautiful as you were as a uniphin."

Noe became a few shades redder.

"Pehanoie, I have to tell you something: I-, I-, why is it so hard to say? Okay, Pehanoie, after what I had seen Hod do to the pack, I thought there was nothing good in the world. I mean, I loved Hod. Can you believe it? I loved a monster. But he wasn't. He was, a Father. A Father to everyone in the pack. And, he was closest I ever had to a father. So- then he killed all those lupes- how could a father do that to his children? So, I wanted to leave the world. But- then I met you. Pehanoie, you showed me that there were good things in the world, and, you taught me how to love life. Pehanoie, I love you."

But the former uniphin was cry "Oh, what's wrong? I'm sorry, you don't love me back. I will stay away from you, I promise! Just don't cry!"

"No, Sheek, I'm happy." she looked at him "Sheek, after my brother died, I was scared. I was afraid to die, but I was even more afraid to live. Anyway, who can care about a hybrid who murdered her own brother? When I first saw you, my plan was to annoy you so much you would eat me. But you didn't. You didn't even run away. You accepted me!"

"You followed me," Shiko pointed out.

"No Sheek, you accepted me. You taught me not to be afraid, because you would always be there. All I needed was someone to care about me, and there you were. I knew you were hurting, we seemed to make to make a perfect team. Shiko, I love you too."

He felt like he had wings. What could he say, what could he say? All that came out was "It's Sheek."

Uni:

Most of the mares looked unconvinced at the Pteri's explaination on Unis, but they shook their heads in confusion to clear everything up.

Shagya was trying to create things from her mind now, although it becomes harder as she was quite weak and still angry about letting the Pteri away.

TLT:

Jerad walked though the forest strutting. Anita followed behind him, her head down, eyes half closed. Jerad pranced into a clearing, where he was met by several lupes of all colours. He stood tall and began speaking.

"I see you all here today. You have been roaming packless through these woods, no leader between you. I also am packless, after this lupe here destroyed my pack." He motioned toward Anita, who was still staring at the ground lithlessly. "This lupe killed my son. She fostered despair and distrust in the pack. She was my prime hunter, and when this lupe was exhiled, my mate tried to replace her, and was killed in a hunt. My pack fell apart, and my packmates were scattered around the forest. All because of this single lupe!" Jerad glared at Anita, and was delighted to see contempt for her as well in the eyes of the lupes around him. "But now, you see her in this form, lifeless and broken. This lupe that was once my enemy, is now my servant. I sought my revenge! I have turned this once mighty hunter, one who was the strongest in the forest, into a feeble puppy!" Jerad went over to Anita, and shoved her lightly on the shoulder. She tilted, and collapsed without a glance at him. "I am such a leader, that I can overcome my worst enemies! Now come with me, fellow lupes! And let us form a pack to rule this forest again!"

The lupes howled and barked in agreement. Jerad was charismatic enough that they forgot the fact that he barely gave information about anything. They heard his last words and united with him, forgetting that they had proof of nothing. All they knew was that he had as good as killed the common enemy of lupes, those who disrupt packs.

Jerad himself felt joyous. He had a new pack, and was leader, and had defeated his one enemy completely to boot! What could be better?!

Labifron huddled next to his father. The storm had died down. The lake was overflowing from all the water. The two lupes had feasted on petpets, and waited for Anita. The periwinkle lupe didn't appear. Where was she?

Very flew into the city with Habernill. They collected supplies, and then Habernill ushered him into a tent. As soon as they stepped inside, they were suddenly in a building, nothing like a tent. They went through a door, and found themselves in the middle of Neopia Central. The building they had exited was gone. Habernill winked, and flew up into the sky. Confused, Very followed, and the pair was soon flying over the endless plains from where they had come.

TLT:

Very was exhausted. He had been following Habernill to what seemed like forever. She was so much faster, and stronger. He finally stalled in the air, and told her firmly that he had to rest. He landed near a small pond. The grass was lush, and there were bushes full of ripe red berries. He fell asleep almost immediatly. Habernill sat silently beside him, until she too was lulled by the warm sun and gentle breeze.

Very woke up first. His stomach was growling, and his mouth was dry. He went over and had a few sips of the wonderful ice cold water. Then he was drawn by the berries. They were warm in the sun, and they popped lusously in his mouth. Before he realized it, Very was stuffed full of the ripe fruit. Habernill woke up, and was tempted as well by the berries. The two unis fed each other, and grew more giggly the more they ate.

Soon both unis were laughing, their faces red, and they galloped and plaid like yearlings. They chatted and talked, and told each other all their secret desires and any other secret they could think of. They giggled constantly. They plaid and splashed each other in the pond.

Eventually, the Very and Habernill laid down, and talked more.

"Hi, Nill." Very said with a goofy grin on his face.

"Very." They giggled like children.

Very put on a moch serious face. "Now Habernill, listen here." He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "Boo."

Habernill gave a giddy scream and they started laughing again. They suddenly both felt very tired. They fell asleep with thier neck crossed over each other, still giving an occasional giggle.

((Yes, Very and Habernill were drunk. Fermented berries! XD I find it incredibly funny for some reason..))

Jerad strutted out onto the plains, 12 hungry lupes behind him, chatting agreeably. Jerad felt like he could fly. A new pack! He was giddy, hyper, and laughing constantly.

The lupes traveled in a V formation until they found what they wanted. Two unis sleeping in the sun. Jerad grinned, and turned to speak to his pack. "Now my comrades, we have our prey. What shall we do now?"

A lupe spoke from the back. She was small, a dark grundgy brown that blended in perfectly with dirt. Jerad had to look carefully to see her. "Nothing." She said. "We are a new pack. We have our own ideals of what we can do, but we must have an easier hunt to see everyones realistic limits are."

Jerad stared at her. "What is your name, lupe?"

"Giph."

"Very well, Giph. I am glad to have you in my herd. I was hoping someone would see the obvious, and that my new friends were not all like this lupe." he pointed toward Anita, who still followed him without a sound or protest. "Who all agrees with Giph?" The lupes around him all gave yips of agreement, quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping unis. "Very well, we will come back for these two later. They do not know how lcuky they are." The pack bagan moving again, following the faint but promising scent of a herd of kaus. Anita stopped and stared at the unis. One was white with large brown patches, the other was white with a green and red mane.

"Kwanita!" Anita turned back and followed the pack, the faint glimmer in her eyes vanishing as quickly as it had come.

"Daaaaaad...." Labifron whined loudly. "Why can't I learn to hunt? I hate buzzers and greebles and all these nasty petpets."

"We are peaceful. I don't like it either, but we don't have much of a choice." Jauck answered. It was halfhearted though. He longed to run and bring down even a kau for fresh meat.

"But Daaaaaaaad..."

The image of a succulant kau grazing slowly in the grass appeared in his mind. He saw a gold lupe that looked all to familar attacking the kau, bringing it to its knees. Jauck was drooling with the thought of fresh meat. "Alright. Lets go."

Labifron stared at him. He didn't think his father would break so easily. He hopped up and bounded after his father, who was already racing ahead, the thought of meat still fresh on his mind.

They ran over the ground with ease. Jauck led them to a small herd of kaus. He couldve sworn that he could see a golden lupe leaping through the grass paralell to him, but they were downwind and still smelled nothing. The lupe winked at them then seemed to vanish into no where. Labifron had seen it too, but when they went to investigate they couldn't even find a bent stalk of grass, let alone a scent. They shrugged at each other, and continued on their way.

Tasia:

Shiko and Noe giggled, and they disappeared into the woods, nipping at each others tails and prancing from each other.

Tasia:

She was running. Four hooves hitting hard soil. No- there were eight hooves- Gipha heard them clearly.

She stopped and- four hooves pounded once or twice each, and slowed. Someone was following her!

She turned "Who's there?"

A bit of the sky moved- and Gipha saw it was a speckled dark violet uni. He smiled at her "Hi."

TLT:

Jerad stood proudly before his pack. They stood behind him and stared out at the herd of kaus grazing quietly in the grass, undisturbed. Jerad turned around and looked at his pack.

"Now we will decide who should be in what position for the hunt. I want to test you out, one by one, unless anyone has an objection. Who should go first? Ah yes, Giph." He said. He scanned the pack. He did a head count, and there were 12 lupes like there should be. But here was no scrawny brown female in the back. He counted again. Twelve. "Giph?" He called out questioningly. The other lupes looked at each other, and then around. None of them saw the brown lupe. Jerad, seeing the rest of the pack's worry, called out again. "Seems she is no longer with us. No matter. You there, the bright red lupe, come here." A lupe slunked out from the back of the pack and smiled sheepishly. "Go and try and catch that kau. The blue one with purple stripes close to us. Avoid disrupting the herd too much."

Fairly soon afterward, the lupes had a hunting hiarchy worked out. Anita, doing exactly what she was told, was the only one who succeded in bringing down a kau. She stared at the plains impassivly as the rest of the pack ate her kill, only eating when Jerad told her to directly.

Jauck raced Labifron across the plains. As they ran toward the herd of kaus in the distance, they coiuld see them suddenly scatter and stampede toward the two lupes. They heard howls and yips in the distance, a lupe pack. They stopped, and managed to scramble away from the herd of fleeing kaus. Jauck was suddenly filled with the desire to go to the lupe pack. Perhaps Anita had taken up residence with them. bUt as soon as the though entered his mind, Jauck shook it away. Anita would never betray them and find a pack on her own. Would she? The more Jauck thought about it, he realized he didn't consiously think that he should go to the pack. It had been more like a whisper in his mind, implanting idea that grew.

Jauck managed to injure a already weak kau, and taught Labifron the basics of hunting. Lab proved an excellent hunter, picking up the skills quickly.

The two decided to return back to the lake. If Anita would come back, it would be there. Jauck couldn't help but feel like he was abandoning her as he left. But it made no sense to him why he felt that, and he simply ran on.

Very was woken up by something. He looked around and tried to see what it was. He saw nothing, until he looked at the ground and saw a neatly scrawled "HA!". He stood up wearily. His head felt like it was going to explode. He stuck out his tounge and it felt fuzzy. He walked to the pond and half fell into the water, which he slurped up greedily. Suddenly he stopped, and looked at the expanse of waving grass in front of him. He saw a lupe pack in the distance, chasing kaus. The pain in his head was too terrible, and he continued drinking water. Habernill woke up feeling the same way.

Fwanta perched on a tree and tried to fall asleep. She had gone away from everyone. She was in the middle of the endless plains, in a small stand of trees that sprouted out from no where. She had looked all around, and saw no one. But still, she was woken up by talking.

"Giph, it didn't work."

"I know it didn't."

"Why not?" Fwanta heard something stamp its foot angrily. She looked down and saw no one. But this was intresting, she listened.

"I don't know, Lumrino, I really don't know."

"Hey guys." A new voice, higher pitched than the two sullen voices.

"Hello Verin." Said the voice reffered to as "Giph"

"How did it go?" From the tone of voice, Fwanta could imagine a hopeful look.

"Horrible. OUr mother is still trapped, and bossed around by that arrogant bastard."

"Oooohh... You said a bad word, Giph."

"Shut up, Lumrino. Its not like anyone can punish a ghost."

"It didn't work?" The "Verin" voice sounded crestfallen.

"Nope. I found them, and made sure they longed to hunt, but the kaus ran toward them instead of away, blocking their view of the pack."

"Dont feel too bad. At least I managed to get them away from Very and that new uni. And fostered suspicoin in that new pack."

"And it took long enough for those stubborn unis to wake up. They ate all those fermented berries. I knew we shouldve directed them to this place instead. The two fools were drunk as a skunk kyrii by the time we needed them to find the new pack."

"Damn." The tough female voice cursed again. "How are we going to make this work?" The voice faultered in mid sentence, and Fwanta could tell she was trying hard not to cry.

"I don't know Giph. I just don't know."

"Come on sis. Its not that bad. We'll get it to work next time." 'Lumrino' was obviously trying to sound optimistic, but there was a hint of sorrow in his voice her couldn't disguise.

"Damn damn damn." She was in full tears now. "I hate being a ghost. I can't do anything. I see our brother running along side Father, and wish that I could do that just once. We have to get Jerad, not just for Mom, but for ourselves."

"I know Giph. You can't imagine how many times I've been reading Very's thoughts, or Dad's, or Mom's before this incident, and how often they think 'Oh, why did Labifron get to live? Why couldn't the runt have died and my dear Verin be with us?' Or whoever they liked most out of us three."

"Labifron, the poor guy, is hated as much as loved within our family. Poor guy." The 'Lumrino' Figure sounded depressed, his happy attitude gone.

"Hush, you too. Something's here." The female voice said softly, and Fwanta heard no more.

TLT:

Something... Above her... Just... Out of... Reach... No... No... NO!

Jerad sat, cleaning the blood of the kill from his fur, when he heard a noise. Anita was fast asleep next to him, or at least, she had been. Now she was struggling, writhing on the ground. Her jaws parted and Jerad heard a faint "No..." Then again louder. Suddenly, the lupe half jumped off the ground. Her eyes were open, full of fire. She yelled. "NOOOO!"Jerad stared at her in dsibelief. But then, she began to crumple. Her legs didn't support her weight. She gasped for breath. She fell dramatically to the ground. Most of the lupes in the pack had been awakened by her howl. They stared at her in fear. Her hind legs went seemingly limp. He head fell on the ground with a thud, her eyes still wide with horrow. A low moan escaped her lips, and she was still.

Labifron heard something. His grey Niptor looked up as well. The voice was so familar...

"Dang. Can we do nothing right?"

"Come on sis, its not too bad, is it?"

"I almost got her out. She was almost back. Actually, she was back, but only for a few seconds."

"We are only kids Giph. We would be only a month or so old if we were still alive."

"'If we were still alive' Ha!"

"I guess being dead has its own advantages. I mean, we are thinking coherantly, and Labifron certainly isn't. He would be a master hunter if he had coordination like us."

"Advantages to being dead. Dont make me laugh Verin!"

"Giph..."

"Shut up Lumrino. You guys just don't know how important this is. You... You just don't! So cool it."

Tasia:

Mystyc looked angrily at the uni lupe hanging in the air. She was too high for the young filly to reach, especially without wings. She spotted the yellow uni lupe out of the corner of her eye.

Her mouth was becoming more of a muzzle, and her teeth were becoming sharper. She set her teeth around the pups neck "You will fight me, Laenyn," she said gently, "or the pup will get it,"

Morgan:

Morgan moaned out in pain. It felt like the Uni's teeth were growing into her! They were getting sharper... Ohh... How it hurt. One drop of blood fell.

Laenyn stared in horror at Mystyk, clutching Morgan's body in her foul teeth! Suddenly, she sniffed the air. Morgan was bleeding! She growled. "I'll fight you, just don't hurt Morgan! P-please!" There was terror, genuine terror, in her voice. This was new. Laenyn had never been this afraid before. Even when she had almost died countless times, there was nothing like this! "She is my only true friend..." Laenyn whispered, a tear falling down her cheek. Realization struck her hard. "Waka, I mean Mikasi... He was your friend wasn't he? Dear Fyora, what have I done? Has my blood lust led to my only friend's death?! Here, take me instead. I'm sorry about Mikasi. I was going to bring him back, but... There are no Lupe bodies available to me for Mikasi to live in... If only..." She bowed before Mystyk, awaiting her fate.

"N-no...! Please Zonk...! Laenyn...! No... I can't lose you too! I won't be able to take it!" Morgan whispered so softly that Laenyn almost didn't hear her. Morgan was scared for Laenyn, not herself. Only Laenyn had ever been kind to her and been sincere. She would... She would just die if anything happened to her! She started to cry, tears splashing around her paws. She turned her head, ignoring the pain, as best possible to speak to Mystyk. Tears filled her eyes. "Please... Spare her... She had no idea..."

Ybbat was sunbathing on a boulder by the edge of the forest. Wasn't the sun so warm? Wasn't the breeze just right? Wasn't the splashing of that sweet little pup so cool? Wasn't that same little pup with wings smiling so nicely? She sat up a bit, grinning as always. The little pup was speaking to her! How sweet!

Nagrom had snuck off from the herd and found a Wocky just lying on a big rock. Nagrom, full of mischief, was grinning evilly as she splashed mud on the little Wocky. Still she grinned. Nagrom was confused. She had wanted to rile up the Wocky so that she would play tag with her. She finally decided to mock her. That oughtta work! "Hey, Wockay! Doncha just love gettin covered in muck?" She snickered as she threw pond slime at her.

Oh how kind of the pup to cool her off on such a nice day! She grinned bigger than normal. "Oh yes, mud does really help you cool off at this time of day! Do you want to play? I like to play hide and seek, but I'm much better at hiding than seeking. My mommy took me out to play Hide and go seek a loooong time ago. We went off into the woods and I counted to a hundred while Mommy hid. I looked for hours and hours, but Mommy's a real good hider, cause I never found her! I called 'Ollie Ollie Kaus're free!', but I guess she couldn't hear me. She probably went back to the rest of my litter. Unfortunately, I'd turned around so much while looking for her that I was lost. I've been wandering around eating fruits for the past few months. I'm sure Mommy is just real busy or something." She nodded twice to accentuate this. She didn't eat meat, even petpet meat. She didn't understand how someone could do that. "Oh yeah, by the way, I'm Ybbat! Call me whatever you like though, lotsa people just call me--" she sounded out the next word "Uh-noy-eeng"

Nagrom looked aghast at the Wocky. How could she be so happy?! She backed away, then turned and ran back to the herd.

Ybbat looked at the fleeing pup, then closed her eyes. "One... Two... Four... No wait, One... Two... Three..." She counted all the way to a hundred, and she took off after Nagrom. Boy, she really did love hide and go seek!

Morgan:

It had been a long time since Ybbat had started looking for Nagrom. She suddenly realized how silly she was being. Of course, she wasn't playing with me! Her mommy was probaby calling her and she went back! Silly me... I'll find someone new to talk to! she thought happily as the dappled light in the forest made ripples on her fur. She looked a bit odd, a mutation actually, and no one had ever really liked her. She never had a clue, though. She was so happy. She just couldn't understand how people could be anything but happy in this huge interesting world! She came out of the forest and found two Lupes sitting by the pond. She walked right over to them, puzzled but smiling joyously. New friends! I wonder why they aren't smiling... "Hello there, I'm Ybbat! Why aren't you smiling? Who are you? Would you like to be my friends? My friends are all away somewheres and I can't find 'em. I really shouldn't play hide and go seek any more. I like to play hide and seek, but I'm much better at hiding than seeking. My mommy took me out to play Hide and go seek a loooong time ago. We went off into the woods and I counted to a hundred while Mommy hid. I looked for hours and hours, but Mommy's a real good hider, cause I never found her! I called 'Ollie Ollie Kaus're free!', but I guess she couldn't hear me. She probably went back to the rest of my litter. Unfortunately, I'd turned around so much while looking for her that I was lost. I've been wandering around eating fruits for the past few months. I'm sure Mommy is just real busy or something." She nodded twice to accentuate this. She always said the same thing to people, because she thought more about playing games, her mother, and hide and go seek more than anything. She had a strange feeling about them, and was very curious. So she dwelled on these thoughts and got into a habit. She shrugs off the thoughts for the time being and turns to the pair of Lupes. "So, whaddya wanna do? If you want to talk, I'll listen." She was hoping for a good story. No one had told her a story since... Well, since everyone realized how different she was. After that they had preferred hide and go seek to story time, The one story she had been read had been about how everything is good. That's how it seemed to Ybbat at the time, anyhow. She never was able to detect sarcasm. She laid down in front of them, basking in the sun's rays. She looked up at the clouds and saw the pictures they made. No it wasn't something ordinary, like a cloud, a marshmallow, or an Angelpuss. She saw things no one else saw. She saw a ray of sunlight where most creatures would've seen fire, a Kau flying over Kreludor in place of a mess in a den, and instead of seeing lightning and smoke, she saw a tall mountain. Ahh, I envy her imagination. She waited for her friends to respond, grinning happily at the cloudy sky.

Tasia:

Mystyc let go of the uni lupe and snarled "Now get out of here," she turned to Laenyn.

"I'm sorry about Mikasi. I was going to bring him back, but... There are no Lupe bodies available to me for Mikasi to live in... If only..."

Mystyc was still for what, seemed like hours "You can bring Mikasi back?" she stood up "Wait, you need a lupe body? I'll find one!" and she set off.

"Stop!"

It was Zhairk. Zhairk was speaking to her. Mystyc growled "What to you want?"

"Do you reconize that smell?"

Mystycs body now resembled a full grown lupe more than a filly. She smelled the air "Why, that's an old track. Its- Uncle Shiko and Auntie Noe!"

"Komoshiko. The omega. He is the one who has to die."

"What? Shiko? But, I love Shiko!"

"Myst- Kriahz, love is false. I-"

"Then what about Mikasi?"

"That was false, also."

"Oh no, don't try to trick me! Our spirits are mixed. I know you felt love for him!"

Zhairk said nothing.

"How do you explain it?"

"Witchcraft..."

"It's not witchcraft, it's real! I love Mikasi, and you felt my love. Same so, I felt your hate. Why is it you only hate?"

"I don't know! I- never thought about anyone other than myself. Love is, strange."

All was quiet. Even the wind stopping blowing. Mystyc said "I think it's time for you to leave."

Then she felt Zhairk's terror "No! I can't go there! You don't understand!"

"ZHAIRK!"

Mystyc hadn't made the sound. It came from the earth- and seemed to shake it. Mystyc flinched.

"ZHAIRK! Come."

A lupe apparated in front of her. Mystyc knew it was dead but- it still carried around a body! The body was severely decomposed: a skeleton with flaps of skin hanging off. Black vines, seemingly from the earth, bound around it's legs. An especially thick vine held it's neck. Mystyc knew who it was, though she had no idea how "Hod," Mystyc breathed.

"Zhairk. You have stayed here for too long. Your fate awaits."

"No! Please!" Zhairk grabbed hold of Mystyc's body, and made an attempt to sprint away in it. Then, black vines erupted from the earth under Mystyc. They went into her- yet she did not feel them. They grabbed Zhairk's spirit and pulled it away from Mystyc...

She felt reborn. She ran a few meters away because- a creature was emerging from the ground. This too had a body. It was in much worse shape than Hod's, with a bent back and hind quarters. The hair was darker. All that was intact was most of the skull- and the end of the muzzle had been eaten away by decay.

The vines bound Zhairks legs and neck. In the next moment, the two lupes were gone.

Kriahz felt sick. She stood there for a few moments, collecting things.

Uni:

Shagya woke up to radiant sunshine. The storm has passed, and the herd has regained its initial place in the lush plains. Birds sand merrily to them, as great apple trees loomed over the mares, heavy with ripe, delicious fruit. The Unis were almost all grazing, as the grass has turned green, sweet and crisp again.
Shagya streched herself, and leaped into the air, where she opened her large pastel wings to full size, and let them carry her with the slight wind.

When, just for play, Shagya tried to shoot a mental beam to a carefully aimed apple, it didn't work. The apple didn't even budge. Not even the slightest puff of mental energy escaped from her horn.
Shagya landed thoughtfully, speared her horn into the nearest fruit and tore it off. As she munched the apple carelessly, she decided to pay a visit to her sister Delta, the Harmony.

The young mare set off, kicking off the ground and spreading her beautiful Faerie wings once more.

Shagya's delicate sky-blue hooves hit the ground with four small 'click!'s, and she began to call out to her sister:

"Delta! Delta, I need to talk! Del - !"

"No need to shout, my sister; we Harmony have fine ears."

The Uni was cut short when a torrent of light cascaded down and splashed onto the mountain surface Shagya was standing on. The light flowed to her hooves, and the Uni's first impression was water. But this was too fluid, to bright to be water -
The torrent exploded and magic shot all over, like little blinding-white embers trailing glittering powder behind them. The 'embers' came together and formed a radiant and transluscent image of a shockingly beautiful Uni: Delta.

"I know why you are here, my sister. I have removed your powers. You will no longer need them; you killed Frowlickle, the best Hunter of the Plains." Delta let Shagya let a gasp of fright as she mentionned this, before continuing. "However, a Uni never kill. Ever. This memory will taunt you forever and pound you down, but don't worry; I'll send you someone who'll help you to raise again, and whose spirit will guide you forever."

Shagya stayed silent. Delta, delighted, added:

"Her name is Orior, to raise. Remember this, Shagya. Now, I must go."

And in a last flash of light, the Harmony has gone.

Meanwhile

In some distant oasis in the Lost Desert, a Uni was walking. She had large, clever sapphire eyes that shone on a coat of soft cream. Large spots the colour of the finest honey dotted the coat, and her mane and tail had the colour of solid gold. Her horn and hooves, too, looked as if carved out of the purest gold, only her left-front hoof wore a delicate, beautiful image of a tiny feather. She had a warm, smiling look upon her gracious face, and she was carrying a basketful of large exotic fruits.
But what distinguished this Uni from the million others were neither the eyes, the look, or even the hoof. What distinguished this particular Uni was her wings.

Large wings the size of a Flotsam, of the same soft cream as the rest of her body. Thousands of fine, long feathers made this pair of magnificent wings that the Uni carried like a swan, in a sort of polite pride.

It was Orior.

The young mare walked away from the cool shades of the oasis's trees into the blasting sunshine. Hot sand tickled the Uni's hooves as she approached a little village. Orior walked casually to a seemingly random tent among the others; she hesitated for a second before it before entering: it was as if the lack of doorbell was a personnal insult towards her.

The air was fresh and cool inside. A pretty Aisha maiden draped in a linen dress was talking to a number of customers as they examined the exquisite plates, beautiful vases and one-of-a-kind jars. She smiled as Orior came in, and gave her an even wider grin as she took the basket from her.
The Aisha handed the Uni a bog of Neopoints, and added:

"I have got this. It seems that it is for you ... " The Aisha maiden gave Orior a neatly rolled piece of parchment.

"Thank you, Lady Osiri ... "

Tasia:

She came back to Laenyn "Use me." the voice was steady, for she was only one now "Mikasi was only half lupe- the other half was uni. A uni's body should work just as well as well as a lupes."

"Sorry, that's not how it goes."

The voice was more of a continious rumble than words, and Mystyc knew it. She turned "Laquinti?"

The giant fire cybunny stood head and shoulders over Mystyc. Her eyes were unreadable. Between her shoulders, the Grey Faerie sobbed.

Laquinti bent over, and the Grey Faerie slid off her shoulders.

Her eyes were level with the Grey Faerie. The little faerie's eyes were swollen from tears. Laquinti, being a creature of few words, said "This is where my life ends."

The Grey Faerie moaned "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I had no choice in the matter. My fate was laid out before me."

"But- no! You knew your fate, couldn't you change it?"

Laquinti sighed- a sigh that came out as more of a groan "It doesn't work that way."

The Grey Faerie buried her face in the fur on Laquintis leg and pounded into the cybunnys shoulder with her bud like fists "But I can't live without you!"

The cybunny's stomach churned, and a giant tear rolled over her nose "Yes you can. Yes you can. And, I will always me with you."

They embraced for a few minutes more, then Laquinti pulled herself away. The Grey Faerie flung herself to the grass a wrapped her face in her knees.

Laquinti looked back remorsefully, but she knew she couldn't change fate. She had tried many times before- and the outcome had been even worse than it would have been. No, this had to stop now. She stepped to Laenyns side "The balance must be restored." she told her.

"Wait! Laquinti?" The Grey Faerie said through swollen eyes.

"Yes?"

"You have all the knowlage right?"

Laquinti sighed painfully "Yes. It is my curse."

"Then- if you can, what will become of me?"

The cybunny's eyes were totally unreadable. She said "You will fly again, Laquinti."

"You called me-"

But the cybunny put her paw to her lips.

Thereda came up to the wocky "Have you seen my daughter, Gipha?" but she stopped "Oh, Kriahz it's you!" she nuzzled the wocky "Don't worry, mommy will protect you!"

She was dirty. She was a shame.

It had been a wonderful night! He would tell her how beautiful she was!

And- he had planted his seed in her. And she never even heard his name! She fretted- did it take root?

Was she, with foal?

TLT:

Labifron stared at the stack of meat in front of him. He had Jauck had gone back to the kau they had killed and drug back the choicest meats. Labifron grabbed half of the rib cage, and carefully brought it next to his father. Jauck carefully studied the meat, then bit down along the spin and pulled to sever the ribs into two equal protions. He grinned at his son and grabbed the closest portion and chewed the meat off the bones, then methodically chewed the bones themselves.

Labifron was more careful. They ahd laid the meat on a clean rock slab in the sun, and the meat was very tough and dry even after only a day in the sun. He pulled off a piece of meat and chewed it carefully. He rolled it around in his mouth, tasted the sweet flesh. Much better than buzzers, he thought.

He finished the rest of the meat soon enough, and was chewing on the bones to get into in rich marrow, when a tannish pet bounded up to him.

"Hello there, I'm Ybbat! Why aren't you smiling? Who are you? Would you like to be my friends? My friends are all away somewheres and I can't find 'em. I really shouldn't play hide and go seek any more. I like to play hide and seek, but I'm much better at hiding than seeking. My mommy took me out to play Hide and go seek a loooong time ago. We went off into the woods and I counted to a hundred while Mommy hid. I looked for hours and hours, but Mommy's a real good hider, cause I never found her! I called 'Ollie Ollie Kaus're free!', but I guess she couldn't hear me. She probably went back to the rest of my litter. Unfortunately, I'd turned around so much while looking for her that I was lost. I've been wandering around eating fruits for the past few months. I'm sure Mommy is just real busy or something." THe creature nodded twice. "So, whaddya wanna do? If you want to talk, I'll listen."

Labifron stared at her, amazed she could talk so long without taking a gasping breath. He studied her carefully. She was a brownish tan, and a very strange creature, unlike any Labifron had seen. Very hadn't even mentioned something like this. Suddenly, Lab's Niptor poked its head out of the bushes. It cocked its head and looked at Ybbat, before selecting a rood rib from Jauck's bone pile. He studied Ybbat again, then took careful aim and threw the bone directly at the creatures head, the sharb end where it had been broken facing forward.

"Now what?"

"I'm not sure."

"Come on, Smarty Pants. Don't tell me the great Giph doesn't know what to do."

"Shut up Lumrino, unless you want me to take the ugly growth on the front of your head off."

"Sheesh, can't you take a joke, Giph?"

"Anyway, I think we should get Very, Habernill, Labifron, and our dear ol' dad together. I suggest we get them to long for uni meat, and have them track down Habernill, but when they get close, they don't attack them, because Dad knows who they are, and they all go back to the lake where we can give instructions as a whole."

"Nice try smart one, but that plan has room for too many errors. We can't prvent them from thinking things, so if they were to smell another uni, it would be hopless. And how are we going to get them to track down Habernill? She flew away from the lake last time, so thats out of the question. You know how hard of time we have with physical objects. Might as well have them try and lift air."

"Hmph. What do you think Verin?"

"Sorry sis, I have to agree with Lumrino this time. I think I should just give Very and Nill the thought of going to the lake, and reinforcing it with a simple writing in the dirt."

"Fine. I guess I will just have to have my own fun then."

"Wait! Giph!"

"Giph, come on! You can't leave us alone!"

"Sure I can! Watch me."

"Great Verin. Shes gone."

"Well, can't we do some things with out her?"

"Shes the best at reading minds. We can all read minds, but I swear, she knows more of what a person is thinking than they do. I think she can see into memories as well."

"Huh. Isnt that interesting. You are the best at putting ideas into minds though."

"Yeah, I can put a picture as well as just ideas. And you can almsot manipulate physical objects. Thats something to be proud of."

"Hee hee. Its pathetic to see you guys try and write something in the sand, or do some thing as simple as making the wind blow."

"Shut up Verin. We have to get Giph back here. She can predict how someone will react to someone. I wouldn't have known what to do to get Daddy dear to start hungering for meat like that if she hadn't done it for me."

"Then we have a problem, don't we?"

"I would say so. I would say so."

Morgan:

First that sweet mare had been so kind to her, and now that adorable little critter was throwing her some food! How kind! Ybbat attempted to catch it, but it hit her with the blunt side in her neck because she jumped too high. She just breathed in and out deeply for a moment or two, still grinning, then picked up the bone. "Yay! Thank you, little critter! What's your name? Aren't you just the sweetest little thing?" She nuzzled against the Niptor's head sweetly, dropping the bone at Labifron's feet. "Awwww... You're so cute!"

Morgan... She was safe! The scourge-- no, Mystyk had freed her! She hadn't even killed Laenyn herself! All she wanted was her Mikasi back! Laenyn was about to say thank you and tell her that she could bring him back when Mystyk took off. She was going to get a body to bring back Mikasi! That would sure sae some time. She returned, saying that Laenyn should use her. Laenyn was touched. She would've done the same for Morgan, if it came to that. But... A giant fire cybunny had come into the clearing, saying it was their time to die. Laenyn didn't know what to make of it and settled for falling to her knees in disbelief. Everything was happening so fast!

Mikasi was stunned. Zhairk was finally gone! Then... Mystyk said that Laenyn should use Mystyk's own body to bring him back. "NO! I don't want a body, I don't want to live, I don't want to come back if you aren't there!" He would've cried tears if he had a body. He'd rather die than lose Mystyk! NEVER! But wait... Something had come and said that wasn't how things worked. Mikasi breathed a sigh of relief. Mystyk was safe for the moment. Now... If he could just get a body and somehow reach Kauvara's... Would Mystyk love him more if he changed form? Would she become his mate? He was far too afraid to ask that, so instead he whispered to her "Mystyk... What form do you like better? A Uni or a Lupe? What about colour?" He stopped himself right there. He didn't want to freak her out... Or have her get suspicious about it or get the wrong idea. He waited patiently for her response.

Moya and Mosh had stopped crying. The body had been taken away. "Probably by scavengers" Moya said viciously. Mosh agreed sadly. They had been wandering for days now... All the way to where the plains ended. Moya sarted to remember things. "...Faerie Land..." she breathed. She lifted Mosh and they flew to Faerie Land. Moya and Mosh started up working at the employment agency, earning neopoints for no reason at all. They had to do something. Moya always grabbed the game ones first. Mosh never told a soul, but he could've sworn he saw Moya shift her gaze strangely and suddenly the red negg in front of her fish negg vanished. 'So that's how those high scores get there...' Mosh thought, in awe of her daring. Neither of them needed to eat more than the occaisonal can of neocola and a sandwich or two. That's where they'd been the whole time.

Ally had never felt so guilty. She had almost... She could've... All because... She couldn't finish her thoughts, at least not those. She set off for the Uni herd and reached it at sunset. Wuff had kept the pack back, afraid for the Unis. Ally had to do this herself.

The pups woke suddenly during their afternoon snooze. Mother. Her scent was headed this way! It wasn't an angry scent either! They all jumped to their feet immediately. They ran in a strange, seemingly random order. Moya, Nagrom, then Nami.

"MOMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" hollered Moya as she raced to her tired mother. It had been a long journey. Moya collided with her, hugging and kissing her to the brink of insanity. Moya had missed her soooo much!

"Momma-mia!" cried Nagrom. She hurtled toward her mother, telling her everything that had happened in the time span they had been away for. She joined Moya in hugging their mother, but refrained from kissing her if she could help it. A few little licks were fine though.

Nami walked in a dignified way toward Ally. Her sisters were overjoyed, but Nami felt ambivalent. She was happy and scared at the same time. "Muh-mother?" Ally froze, then smiled warmly at Nami. "MOTHER!" It was a joyful reunion.

Ally was so happy to see her pups again! She listened eagerly to Nagrom's tales. The sun sank low and the moon was way up above them before Ally had a chance to react.

Tasia:

Laquinti sighed "We have to get this over with. Believe me, if we try to change fate the outcome will be even worse."

Mystyc was confused. "Lupe or geuss I love uni lupes out of lupe and uni and, as for color, I love the most brightest of colors!" it took her a second to realize what Mikasi meant, but when it snapped she said "Oh Mikasi, you would do that for me? Oh," and warm tears came from her eyes again- they were tears of joy. She was struck speachless, even via her mind.

Shiko woke, and a green light accented his body. Shiko felt so wonderful, Noe and he- he smiled. She moved a little. His heart got tight. Noe was gone.

Shiko got to his feet in a panic, where was she? Ohno, ohno, ohno...wait! Here, was her scent. And, there was no smell of conflict...in fact Noe had walked very calmly. That made Shiko feel a little better. He followed the trail, out of the forest and around the lake where the unis were. Shiko recieved no ill looks from the unis. He continued on, covering the space between Lumino's herd and Ally's pack. And finaly, he say- a tangerine rump that looked as, it were growing out of the earth.

"HEY NOE!" Shiko laughed. The tangerine lupe picked herself out of the earth.

"Sheek! I was supposed to surprise you- not the other way around!"

"What are you doing?" Shiko said, closing the space between Noe and himself.

Noe looked distraught for a moment "Isn't this what lupes are supposed to do with they have pups."

"Well- WHAT!" Shiko stared at Noe.

She smiled warmly, and for a moment she didn't seem like Noe the silly uniphin turned lupe that he loved. She was Pehanoie- a goddess "I can tell, Sheek. I just can."

"Oh Noe, you'll make a wonderful mother."

Gipha wanted to go home. All she wanted was her mother to take care of her- to tell her everything was alright. Her mother. Her mother would be ashamed of her current state. That it- if it proved she was with foal. She would wait- but for how long? Until she knew. If it turned out she wasn't, she would go back. That in mind, Gipha felt a little better. She didn't even think what she would do if she was with foal. No. She didn't want to.

TLT:

Ybbat grabbed the bone Gerlert had thrown at her. Labifron stared. First his petpet had attacked unprovoked, then the creature he attacked was completely happy about it! Strange.

The grey niptor growled. The creature rushed at him, and rubbed his head, mumbling the strange rubbish all the pets seemed to speak. Gerlert gave a short yip, then latched himself on the tan creatures face. His powerful jaws clamped Ybbats mouth together, preventing her from speak. Gerlert wagged his tail furously at the astonished looked on Labifrons face, taking it for praise.

Jauck watched the scene seemingly calm, his mind completely concentrated on the strange events earlier in the day, he was oblivious to the scene unfolding.

Morgan:

Ybbat grinned even as her mouth was clamped shut. The creature was saying hello back! Aww! She gently removed him so she could breathe and immediately petted him. She could understand he didn't want her to talk. She also knew that there was finally someone else who was happy! Yippee! She smiled kindly (not condescendingly) at him and curled up for an afternoon snooze.

Ally finally got in a word between her babbling pups. "I love you guys... I'm so sorry." They acted as though she had never attempted to kill any of them and continued babbling. Ally smiled widely and began to lead them back to the pack.

Mikasi would've blushed, but, being bodyless, he could only feel a bit embarrassed. "Of course Mystyk... I'd do anything for you... You know that." He would live again soon, but he didn't know if his powers would be restored or not. He didn't care, to be quite frank. He did care, however, that he had made Mystyk happy. "Oh Mystyk..." He finally worked up the nerve. No matter how many times he had said it, it was still hard... After all, she had slightly misunderstood him last time, he supposed. "Mystyk, I love you! I want to ask you to be my mate, but... It's only if you want to be mine." He nervously awaited her reply.

Laenyn looked at the cybunny. This was the body she was supposed to use? But... How? She had left the scroll at Kauvara's. "How am I supposed to do this exactly? Unless I go back to Kauvara's..." she trailed off.

Tasia:

"HEY!" Thereda pulled the nipter from the wocky "Nobody hurts by daughter! Say your sorry now, colt!"

"Why Mikasi, I'd love to," Mystyc said, and she ment it.

TLT:

The niptor continued wagging its tail, proud it had defeted such a dangerous advisary. The creature managed to pull off the petpet, then began rubbing his head and back furously. Gerlert snapped at a paw, but was grabbbed by an angry mare. She yelled at him in that strange inconprehensible language, then dropped him on the ground. He glared at her, then lept up deftly using his spring like muscles and slashed her across the face with a sharp claw. On his return to the earth, he slashed again across her chest, then landed like a gymnast on the ground. He lept up with a twirl and slashed across the startled uni's nose, then used it as a spring board. He landed on the now sleeping tan creature's back, and raced into the bushes. He ran around the scene, and jumped back into the small clearing from the other side, and stood on Labifron's back, ready to protect him from these strange monsters.

Labifron watched open mouthed as his petpet (still as big as he was) swiftly attacked a mare. The niptor managed three deep slashes, before leaping of the uni's nose and plunging into bushes, but not before running over the strange creature he had attacked before's back. The the grey petpet dissapeered, only to emerge right behind him, and then leaping on Labifron's back to balance precariously as Gerlert bared his teeth, hissed, and flashed his eyes at the new pets in front of them. Labifron's mind spun. It had happened so quickly, for most of the the half-fight the niptor was a blur. Watching him race around had made Labifron dizzy enough that he couldn't even mouth an apology. Not that it mattered, another voice broke into the scene.

Fwanta grumbled as she flew away from Neopia Central. Darn lab, she thought. Electric was a perfectly good colour. I liked it a lot. I don't really mind it changing my colour, but from an awesome one like electric to green? There is no justice in this world.

She spyed a large lake in the distance. She dove from her position just under the clouds, to hurtle through the air toward the lake. She dove into the lake at an alarming speed, then rocketed up. Her bad mood fell away with the water. She spun several times in the air to fling most of the water form her feathers. She spied activity on the far shoe of the lake, and flew over. Two lupes, a uni, and a wocky were near the shore. Fwanta grinned as she watched a grey blur jump up near the mare, and several stripes of blood appeared across her front. My kind of petpet, she thought.

She screamed loudly as the niptor perched on its apparant owner's back. It was as big at the lupe, and it was quite funny. The screech alerted the pets of her presence. She smirked, and landed among them.

"Whazzup?!" She half screamed, and made a gesture with her wing. All but two feathers were bent over, and one feather on each side extended. "Hang loose!" She yelled, and flopped over laughing. The kinds of Neopets were too much fun.

Giph stormed away. She was invisble as usual, and she wished she wasn't. She wanted everyone to see how mad she was and how they better not get in her way. She concentrated hard and managed to get herself back to her original tawny brown color. She tried to keep it up, but it was draining on her energy and Giph couldn't hold it up for long. "I hate being a ghost." She said aloud. She half expected something to come and talk to her, but she was greeted by only silence. She mumbled a string of profanities. She liked cursing. Nothing was more fun than watching the startled reactions on peoples faces. But she tended to keep it down around her brothers and most other people. She wasn't sure they couldn't punish ghosts, though she laughed at the idea in front of other people. She could never be sure...

Tasia:

The young colt- attacked her! She felt the claws dig into her nose, her back- Thereda couldn't help but screaming. It wasn't a bad little colt- it was a lupe. A horrible lupe. They were all lupes, no Kriahz and no Gipha. And here- a flying lupe! Probably one of that monster- Ally's stock.

"What have you done with my girls!" Thereda sobbed.

Morgan:

Ybbat looked curiously at the blur of grey that rushed around. Three red lines appeared on the mare's coat. "What's that pretty red stuff?" she asked innocently. She had never before seen blood. When the mare cried out, Ybbat was surprised. "You have a daughter? What does she look like?" Ybbat was curious, this was a really exciting day!

Mikasi was shocked beyond all belief. She had agreed. He felt like he couldn't move. Suddenly he remembered he needed a body first, so, when Morgan said to, he emerged and let her show him where to go.

Laenyn could not remember the spell for the life of her. It had been so long ago...

"I know it."

Laenyn spun around. Morgan was speaking clearly, with a solemn expression on her face.

"I can remember it."

"You ca--... But how?"

"I was watching you the whole time you wrote it. I can remember everything." Morgan said, looking Laenyn straight in the eye. "You go here, you go here, I draw a circle here..." Morgan was setting everything up, pushing people into place when necessary. She was strong when she needed to be, and even managed to get Laquinti into place. Eventually, she had set it up so Mikasi's ghost was on one side of a circle, opposite Laquinti. Morgan began to chant, and Laenyn gaped at her. "Auvlair nohtanken! Ei gool! Koorahnt flah! Koorahrant flah!" Morgan kept repeating this til it was all over. Then the world went dark...

Mikasi and Laquinti headed directly towards each other. At the center of the circle, there was a bright flash of light, and they collided. Laquinti's spirit was thrown free and entered Magik. Mikasi had a body! The body twsted and reformed to be his old body. Something was different though. He could hear! He wasn't deaf! He wasn't psychic any more, but so what?! Even if he never was able to disguise himself again, he was happy to have electric blue wings, grass green fur, and sun yellow eyes. Also, he had purple stars on his wings and red stripes on his cheeks. Just three of each on each side. He was happy no matter what he looked like at the moment, though.

"Mystyk! Oh, I love you so much!" he rushed over and touched her nose affectionately. "When will we become mates?" He was almost floating he was so happy. He kept his paws firmly on the ground, though. His wings wanted to fly, but he didn't care. He just stood beside Mystyk, flying in a different way. This was truly love.

Laenyn shook herself out of her daze when Morgan collapsed. What over Kreludor was going on?! She was so confused! She raced over to Morgan, ndging her to wake up. Morgan's eyes fluttered and she woke up.

"I'm getting stronger, aren't I? I didn't stay out cold for a full day even." Morgan smiled weakly. Her only friend was worried about her. She couldn't let her know her worries were for a good reason! Morgan needed to rest more, but she didn't care. "Cmon, Zonk, let's go." Morgan stood up on her shaking legs and began walking back to Kauvara's. Laenyn followed.

Morgan had called her Zonk! Why? Even though she looked like Zonk again, why did Morgan call her that? Laenyn shrugged to herself and followed her. She was ok! Laenyn didn't notice how much paler Morgan's fur was, how tired Morgan seemed, or how shaky Morgan was. She was just happy that she wasn't in mortal danger any more. Kauvara had already returned to her shop and had increased the security around the scroll. Anyone who went for it now would be in for a very nasty surprise.

TLT:

Fwanta glared at the neopets around her. They ignored her completely. "Hmph." She took off and flew away. "So much for them." She said to herself.

She peered down at the ground. She saw a human, chasing a gerlert, the actual thing, not just a grey niptor petpet. The human waved something in her hand, and the gerlert whimpered, and ran faster. Fwanta watched the scene with intrest. Finally, the human gave up and threw the object on the ground. The gerlert looked at her hesitantly, then both bounded toward each other. A few words were exchanged, and both ran off toward Neopia Central. Fwanta watched them leave, wondering briefly why they had been way out here, then dropped out of the sky to examine the object the human had dropped.

It was a strange object. One end was covered in a sticky swirling Fwanta didn't dare touch. The other was a wooden stick. Fwanta grabbed it by the obvious handle, and waved it around. Nothing happened. Fwanta peered closely at the object, and realized what it was.

"A paint brush..." She murmered. "LT said they are expensive. And not to use them. Hmmm... What if I use it on someone else?" Fwanta grinned at the idea. She knew paintbrushes changed the apperance of a pet, so it would be the ultimate annoyance. Fwanta grabbed the paintbrush in her foot, and took off to search for her victem.

Tasia:

She looked at the lupes- and for a moment the furry lupe who addressed- changed shape. It became a wocky, but then a little black foal "Kriahz! There you are! I hope those lupes didn't scare you too bad?"

He was beautiful, and the most brightest of colors, and he was alive. And, he could hear. Mystyc had expirianced what it was like not to hear in first person when Mikasi had joined her. How then, was it like to hear for the first time? Well, it wasn't her place to wonder.

Mystyc knew Mikasi didn't have his powers any more, and she was saddened. She wanted to make her own powers go away, but when she thought of this something inside told her she needed to hold on to them a little longer.

"Well," she said "I imagine mother wouldn't approve of us being mates now- normally for unis they have to be adults first," Mystyc shrugged "Oh no, Mother! She's probably worried sick! I have to get back!" she took off at a run- not even looking to see if Mikasi was behind her, and forgetting to thank the witch.

The Grey Faerie was weeping, yet she could not pull her eyes away from the scene. It happened to fast...

Suddenly, she felt very cold, as if a ghost were entering her. The cold was countered by warmth, such that it reminded the Grey Faerie of a mother's embrace. But- she was a faerie, she never had a mother. Finaly, there was a feeling of safety, and she heard words I will always be with you.

"Laquinti?" but she knew she was saying her own name, for the cybunny and herself had become one "Oh, you never left me," it was bittersweet. Laquinti had been the only friend she ever had. She was like a mother to Magik. Now she was gone. She knew her Laquintis words were true: that she would fly again.

Morgan:

Mikasi took off after Mystyk. She did have cause to worry about her mother, he thought, because she had been gone for so long. 'I wonder if Mother misses me...?' he thought, a bit troubled. He had intended to forget all about Ally, but now that he had remembered... Had she forgotten? He felt a sick swoop in his stomach. Of course she hadn't... Right? He was a little panicky now. Suddenly he remembered Moya and Mosh. What of them? He was getting really panicky now. He took another look at Mystyk, and his stomach settled. He could find them on the way or afterwards. Sure, Mystyk couldn't get married now, but he could ask her mother... And his own. Now that he could speak aloud, he could finally talk to her. Sound was amazing! He had normal ears for a Lupe now, stronger than he had ever imagined. In second-person, all of the sounds had been distorted. Everything was clear as a bell now. It was more magical than his psychic abilities! He could even hear people behind him coming up without doing a constant mindsweep, which really makes you tired. He could find no words to describe it. He began to float a little, hearing the wind flow over his wings. He beamed. This was... He was with Mystyk, could hear, and it was a beautiful night! What could make it better? Nothing. This was... The word perfect fit so well. It was perfect. That was the only way to say it. He sighed happily and swayed gently on the breeze. He was dancing.

Morgan and Laenyn reached Kauvara's with little trouble. Morgan had tripped a surprising numbers of times, but Laenyn didn't want to embarrass her by commenting on it. Once inside Kauvara's, Morgan laid down heavily on a Kauvara's sofa. She was asleep before she was fully on the sofa. Laenyn assumed she was just tired after the journey, so she gently carried her to the guest room. Morgan curled up a little and made a little fuss, but was completely asleep by the time she was put on the bed. Laenyn curled up on the floor to sleep. She had a nightmare.

It was dark outside. She and Morgan were in the middle of a swamp. Everything had a dark prescence in it. Morgan whimpered and Laenyn spun around to look at her. She was dying. Laenyn's heart rate jumped a few notches. Morgan was hurt terribly, jagged wounds were all over her! Why hadn't she noticed before?! Why hadn't she helped Morgan? What had happened. Fear overtook her. She looked down at herself. She had blood on her muzzle.

A shrill cry pierced the night. Laenyn stood up, shaking like a leaf. She was breathing heavily. Her heart was still racing. She gulped and wildly looked around the room. Self? Check. Furniture? Check. Mirror? No blood, check. Morgan? ...Morgan?! "WHERE'S MORGAN?!" Laenyn screamed. A lump on the bed moved a little. Morgan was so small theat Laenyn had mistaken her for a pillow.

"What's the matter?" Morgan asked worriedly. "Did something happen?"

Laenyn gulped and smacked her dry lips. She was covered in cold sweat. "Nuh-nothing. Just... Just a little nightmare. Yeah, a nightmare." she was trying desperately to reassure herself.

Morgan knew Laenyn didn't want to talk about it. "Oh. Okay, Zonk." she yawned and shifted position. "Night, then. Sleep well. Love ya, Zonk." She dropped back off to dream land shortly after.

"G'night Morgan, sweet dreams..." Laenyn whispered. "I love you too." They were more like sisters than Morgan's true sisters. Morgan was always full of surprises. Laenyn smiled to herself as she fell asleep. She actually had family. It was a nice feeling, she decided. She drifted off into a, thankfully, dream free slumber. It was a good thing Kauvara had sound-proofed all of the rooms so the explosions of new potions wuldn't wake anyone up.

Ybbat looked at the mare, confused but still happy. "Kriahz? What a pretty name! My name's Ybbat, what's yours?" She grinned. Those red streaks obviously weren't bad, just pretty. What could be bad? Nothing, that's what! She turned to the shocked pup. "You have a very sweet little creature there. Why did he make red streaks on that lady?" She cocked her head to one side. "Does he have a pee-bee? I've heard of those, they change colours." She nodded a few times for good measure and grinned again. These creatures hadn't run away yet! This was new! She just waited for their answers, enjoying the sunset and staring at the beautiful full moon. Kreludor was beautiful.

TLT:

The tan creature turned to look at Labifron. He closed his eyes and tried to get reoriented. Ybbat began talking to him, and he barely understood any of it.

"You have a very sweet little creature there. Why did he make red streaks on that lady? Does he have a pee-bee? I've heard of those, they change colours."

"A PB? Uh.... No... I don't think so at least." Labifron spoke slowly. The niptor growled next to him, warning Ybbat away. It hissed again, then lept without warning on to the tan thing. It grabbed an ear in its jaws as it perched on Ybbat's back. Why didn't these monsters leave them alone?

Fwanta flew over the plains looking for a victim. She laughed mischieviously. She spotted a white lupe below her. Perfect, she thought. Fwanta let off another loud, high pitched scream and dove toward the lupe.

Morgan:

"Oh. Okay!" Ybbat said cheerfully to the pup. Ybbat looked up at the grey creature. It was holding her ear in its mouth while perched on her back. It was very awkward. Ybbat just grinned. He was obviously trying to tell her he was hungry. She gently set him down again, trotted off for a moment, and returned with a bunch of apples and placed the before the creature proudly. She beamed and laid down on her belly. The grass was very soft. She soon fell asleep.

Ally, who had just begun to tell her pups how glad she was to see them for the umpteenth time, quickly stood over her children when she heard a loud scream. She looked up fearfully and saw a green flying creature plummeting toward her, a strange stick in it's hardened mouth. She kept her children safe from the attacker. What was about to happen?!

Tasia:

She came to the lake. For once, she was happy to be home. She saw a black stallion coming toward her. It took her a second to realize it was her father.

"Kri- Mystyc. Mystyc? I seems that is all I can say. Oh my- what became of your wings?"

Mystyc looked back. Her wings were gone- not even scars on her shoulders. Instead there was a patch of black- not her own color, but lighter and gray. It was Zhairk's color. It was as if Zhairk left her body but left his shoulders. The idea gave Mystyc chills. Mystyc didn't know what to say, but she didn't have to.

"That's not important right now. Mystyc, something is wrong with your mother. Come along!"

Mystyc bit her lip anxiously. She looked back to Mikasi then fell in place behind the stallion.

They found the red mare speaking with the lupes Jauck and Labifron- and a creature Mystyc had not seen alive. It was tan and furry. Mystyc's heart felt cold: Thereda was covered with blood "Mom! What happened to you!?"

"Why, that's your name honey!" Mystyc was confused, but it seemed Thereda didn't hear her. The mare continued "A beautiful name. I gave it to you. I thought it up in a dream. In the dream, a black angel came and whispered it in my ear. He was the most handsomest black lupe- but don't tell your father I said that!

"Of course, I love Gipha more than you. Nothing personal, Gipha used to be my friend. You- you are too weird! Changing your name, a deaf friend? Sometimes I forget your a uni!"

Mystyc didn't know what she was more insulted by- that Thereda said, quite bluntly, she didn't love her, or that she thought this creature was herself! She backed up but Trab was there.

Oh, that stupid stallion. What did he expect her to do.

"Mom!" Kriahz said louder.

The mare turned, but she put her ears down "Not another one of you! I told you all to get away from my girl!"

Her eyes filled with tears. She started away- slow at first, but faster as she gained speed.

Morgan:

Mikasi stared in disbelief and horror at Thereda. How could she be lke that?! What was wrong with her?! He followed Mystyk, maching her pace exactly. He was furious at Thereda, and couldn't even seem to pity her. She had hurt Mystyk! He wasn't going to atempt revenge, though, because it would only make matters worse. He called out to Mystyk "Mystyk! Wait! Let's just stay herefor a while... Running away is only temporar--" he cut himself off. That was going to make her feel worse. He wantedto stop, to rest, to think, but he didn't want Mystyk mad at him. He would do anything to avoid that! He shook his head and began flying. He suddenly noticed that Mystyk had no wings, so he lifted her up ad let her float for a moment before setting her down again. "Mystyk..." he whispered. He was confused and didn't know what to do. This was all happening so fast...

Morgan was having a dream...

It was dark outside. She and Laenyn were in the middle of a swamp. Everything had a dark prescence in it. Laenyn, not Zonk but Laenyn, was turning toward hr, a vicious gleam in her eye. She bit Morgan, ripping her skin jaggedly. Morgan whimpered, and Laenyn changed. Zonk appeared. She looked at her in a terrified way,then looked at her mouth. It was dripping with Morgan's blood. Zonk howled toward Kreludor, not understanding. It wasn't Zonk, it was Laenyn! The howl cut through her, Zonk was sad! Morgan limped over to her and rubbed her nose against Zonk's. All of a sudden, Zonk was replaced by Laenyn... All that Morgan felt after that was falling and pain...

Zonk's eyes snapped open. Morgan had fallen out of bed. She was laying on th ground limply, moaning. Zonk nudged her. Morgan was unresponsive. Morgan was alive, but someting was terribly wrong. Zonk lifted Moran's eyelids. They were blank and white. Zonk screamed and ran for Kauvara.

Morgan could not escape the falling. She had failed! Zonk had been destroyed! Laenyn had taken her body! What could she do now?! Was there anything left for her besides falling...? She waited for Zonk to come to her rescue. That was all she could do. Fall and wait. Possibly forever, but she would wait. She was sure she would be ok if Zonk was. She was just so tired...

Tasia:

She said "Mikasi, do I look different from myself?"

'Of course I don't,' she thought 'not much different than that hairball!' but she waited.

TLT:

Fwanta flew above the lupes. The white one looked up, worried, and Fwanta took her chance.She dove down and ran the gooey end of the paintbrush across the lupes back. She flew up, and dove again, dripping blue and white swirls on the lupes back and sides. Fwanta laughed mischieviously as she did this. She knew LT would just about kill her for wasting something she could sell for so much, yet it was worth it to see the lupe.

Very gazed at his reflection in the water. The headache had subsided slightly, and his thirst seemed to have been abated after several long swallows. His white muzzle was stained red, and the rest of his body was a drity white form sleeping on the ground. Very plunged into the shallow pond and worked the dirt form his coat. His rubbed his mouth vigorously against a submerged foreleg, and managed to get most of the red juice off. Once his coats was again sparkling white, and his mane and tail had been combed satisfactorily, he began rubbing his horn on a wet rock, until it too gleamed even in the shade. But he didn't stop then, he continued sharpening it to a fine point. As the gold wore away slowly, the horn underneath glowed brightly. He continued until his horn was sharper than ever, and cast a warm golden glow around his face. Very stared at the glowing gold, and Habernill just about fell over laughing at the cross eyed look on his face. Very grinned sheepishly at her.

"You are very, very, VeryVain." Habernill said, and this time she did fall over laughing, squirming in the dirt while very stared at her with a look on his face somewehre between anger, amusment, and embaressment. Habernill continued rolling on the ground until she was covered with dirt, and the brown patches were hidden among dirt rather than against bright white. "Good for the bugs." She said, and stifled her laughter. Very's face was contorted between disgust and astonishment now, and Habernill laughed until her chest hurt.

Morgan:

Mikasi took a good look at Mystyk. "Only your wings are gone , Mystyk. I just don't get it. Forget it. When... When will you be my mate?" He couldn't stop himself from blurtig that out. He was so curious! He momentarily forgot his anger while staring in awe of Mystyk. Her voice was music to his ears, and he wished to hear it again terribly.

Ally looked at herself, shocked. She wa cloud coloured! What would Wuff think?! Her pups came out from under her and gawked.

Nami looked at her mother's beautiful new fur colour. "Mother... It's gorgeous!"

Nagrom stared at her mom's coat, jaw hanging. "Woah... S'purdy-ful Momma!"

Moya admired her mommy's new look. "Mommy... You're beautiful!"

Ally listened to her pups praise, then turned to the creature. "I know I should kill you for that, but since my pups are here and seem to like this... I guess I'll just say thank you and go try and explain this to my mate." She glared at the green creature. Her curiosity got the better of her. "What over Kreludor ARE you, anyway?"

TLT:

"Moi?" Fwanta pointed at herself with a feather. "Your worst nightmare, ma'am." She said, and flew off laughing.

Tasia:

Shiko was pacing in front of the den Pehanoie and he shared. His paws made a track in the snow. He heard his name "Sheek,"

Were they here?!? "Yes honey?"

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

Shiko sighed. He padded away from his den. At first he thought he'd chat with Wuff, but he decided against it. He needed some time on his own.

"Shiko! Shiko, is that really you?"

He looked up. A black uni had his head up and was smiling kindly at Shiko "Komoshiko!"

"Trab! What are you doing here?"

The stallion laughed- a full laugh "I live here, of course!"

"Oh, with these unis?" of course he had. There wasn't another herd so near.

"Yes, yes, of course! Well Shiko, how has your life been treating you?"

"Oh, wonderful!" and he meant it. The lupe went in to detail about falling in love with Pehanoie, and then how Pehanoie had changed herself into an orange lupe "And just this moment she's having our pups. Isn't it wonderful!"

"You must be so proud!"

"I am, I am. So, what have you been up to?"

Trab's look became darker "Not as great," he told how Gipha had left and Mystyc (for Trab could not manage to speak the word Kriahz any more) disappeared. The young foal returned- but to late to save her mother from an insanity "She's still not snapped out of it."

"And what of your eldest?"

"She told me she was leaving, and I allowed it. We have not heard of her since." he said something else, but it was not spoken.

"Maybe she found a nice stallion, and she has foals now."

"She would still be carrying," Trab corrected "And our kind never have more than two at the same time." then he looked scared "Oh boy, I hope she's not carrying!"

Shiko wasn't really listening "Oh, Noe!" he began back toward the pack territory. As Trab watched Shiko shrink into the distance, he chuckled.

Uni:

Orior's wings carried her with amazing ease through the sky. Not a noise echoed as the Uni flapped those grandiose wings: if she had been Invisible and had no shadow, no one would have known that she was there.
Lady Osiri's note carried a message saying that the North-Western herds needed her help. Why, they didn't inform her; but Orior was a powerfully magical mare, her ancestors being pure-blood Lost Desert Unis.

When Orior was born, she was wingless. Not a single feather was attached to her shoulders. Nevertheless, her parents loved her, so one day, a Light Faerie came and blessed her with the most beautiful pair of wings anyone has ever seen. From that day on, she was called Orior, to raise. Indeed, she could raise higher than any other living creature in Neopia.

Within seconds, Orior has come to a halt in the lush grass of the Endless Plains. Her speed was also legendary. She neighed softly, and a gust of wind responded to her, blowing in the direction to take to find the herd.
Orior mentally thanked the wind, and arose again, taking the right direction. Soon, the Uni was hovering over a group of trees, and was looking silently over the many mares.

Orior has never seen Unis of these colours before; brown, blue, red, yellow, green, white, palomino, spotted, pink, purple, rainbow, silver, shadow ... but the most impressive was an enormous golden male, who looked both kind and important. Orior had the impression that the stallion was the only one who could hear her, even if she didn't make the slightest sound.
As she turned her head, the mare let out a gasp of admiration.

A magnificent young filly stood beside a white mare; her coat was of a white so dazzling that the purest snow would have looked grey beside her; her eyes were of the purest and freshest blue; her mane and tail were shining and of the palest sky-blue; her horn and hooves gleamed in a kind of intimidating way; but her wings were the most spectacular of all: big Faerie wings, filled with the softest pastel colours and glittering in millions of colours under the sun.

"May I help you, Orior of Learhaeru?"

It was the huge golden stallion. He had spread his enormous wings and was hovering before her.

"Welcome to the North-Western Herds of the Endless Plains. I am Lead Stallion of this herd, and my name is Lumino, the Creator of Illusions."

"Lumino of Sauvagiae Valley? Oh, good lord; Sir, I have heard most highly of you."

"I am afraid that my life is not merely a book to be read, My Lady," Lumino bowed very majestically before the mare, "however, Lady Orior is also famous in her own way; every North-Western Herd is protected by a Harmony, a tremendously powerful creature that guards the balance of the Elements. Our Harmony, Delta of the Endless Plains, has informed us of your arrival, Mistress of the Winds."

"I am honoured, Sir, to hear that a Harmony knows my name."

"So, I guess that you'll now become one of us; let me present you my family: the Lead Mare, Fratylia; our daughter, Orora and her mate, Gradyti; and the granddaughter who is left: Shagya, Delta's sister."

Orior looked, astonished, as the beautiful Uni whom she was comtemplation approached, a smile lighting her radiant face. Finally, she understood why Delta has called her ...

Tasia:

There were four pups. Their fur was little and far between, but color shone through.

The first pup Noe introduced Shiko to was a gray green female "Falara." Noe spoke.

"Your- brother!" Shiko said.

The orange lupe nodded, and went to the next child. She was pale blue. Noe shrugged.

Shiko looked at her long and hard. Nothing came to him. "We'll figure something out." he told Noe.

Noe nodded, and brought the next pup foreward. He had hints of crimson red "Brua."

Shiko nodded.

Noe looked forelorn as she revealed the last pup. It seemed stronger than it's sisters, standing up even at the it's young age, and Shiko saw why: it was a lupe from the chest up, but it's charcoal gray legs were long and twig like. At the end, were hooves. A blind and deaf charcoal gray head looked around and made little eh-eh-eh sounds- yet Shiko saw that the backbone had to come from it's mother also, for it was so strong for the age.

"This is my fault." Noe said bluntly.

"No my dear. Look, all of your our pups turned out fine and, well, look how strong he is!"

But Noe didn't hear him "A uniphin should never have kin!"

"But you're not a uniphin anymore. You're a lupe. A beautiful lupe. And so are your pups. All of them."

"Fine," Noe said "but his name is Frailik."

Shiko didn't ask what word that was in the language of the ancient unis.

TLT:

Jerad lay in the dark, looking at his pack. He had his pack hiearchy set up perfectly. He was alpha, a dark red male was his beta, and light blue female was the delta. He had taken an eye to a small golden lupe who hung back most of the time, but was an excellent hunter. Jerad still mourned over the loss of his mate, but he neednt go on forever alone.

Stamsha, as she was called, led the hunt, with the red male close behind. She wasn't anything like Kwanita had been, but she was still a remarkable hunter, though she had very few leadership qualities. She tended to be rather rude and blunt, and most of the lupes were afraid of her, even though she was usually timid out of the hunt. And because they were afraid of her, they followed out of fear rather than obediance. Not the best method of control.

Keen, the beta, however, was a remarkable leader. He was friends with the entire pack. He was kind, and reprimanded only slightly, without violence. He would be a threat to Jerad's dominance, but he wasn't worried. Keen was inexpierenced, and too kind for a good leader. Keen was a good beta however, and also an excellant hunter. He had employed a method of dividing the lupes into three groups of four. Stamsha led the first group, he led the second, and Jerad, because of his expierence, led the third. Jerad knew he wouldn't last long, he was growing older and manning most of the pack out of respect instead of strength. Kwanita, still a zombie, and Hydee ((OOC: Below))

Gwib was ready to step in at any moment though. The delta of the pack, her soft blue fur had first drawn Jerad's eye to her, but she was already taken by another male. She was intellegent, quick to analyze everything and state her opinon without fear of critisisam. Jerad had been corrected several times by her, and while he was flushed with rage at first, he had become use to it. She meant no harm, and was almost always right. However, she had a temper that had to be kept under control, and almost no drive to be on top. She wouldn't even be the delta if Jerad hadn't forced it upon her.

Bean was a small grey lupe who was also a good hunter. He was very intelligent, and made good decisions, but his youth and young size kept him from being on top.

Hydii, the optimist, was a bright, solid blue ((OOC: Blue like the blue gerlert)). She deplored hunting, and even eating meat, but she was essential for the pack's up beat attitude. She would sit by the side lines, or occasionally run next to the pack as they hunted, and shout compliments that kept the pack positive even after a failed hunt.

Hyde, Hydii's brother but exact opposite, was a surly white male. He was the mate of Gwib and a good hunter. He wasn't the best, but he kept the other lupes in his section in line, and his brute strength brought down many kaus that would have escaped toher wise. However, he was slow witted, and made mistakes occasionally, letting even easy prey escape because he made a simple error.

Jent was the son of Hyde and Gwib. He was white like his father, and had the smae ill tempered attitude. He had some of his mother's intelligence though, and that kept him in line, though Jerad could tell he longed to be in control of the pack. Jerad didn't allow any insubordintation, and had nearly killed Hyde after he said something about him leading. Jent knew not to mess with him and kept his dreams of domination to himself.

Gyde and Gybe are twins of Hyde and Gwib. They are a light blue, and though it was inherited from their mother, they did not get her intelligence. They are as smart as two rocks, and are only muscle. They are even less smart than their father, and spend most of the time cracking dumb jokes with each other. Jerad valued them the least out of his pack, but they provided more brute force that was essential for hunting.

((OOC: Three left... There are fourteen in total in the pack, Jerad, Anita, and the other twelve... Umm... ))

Ebony was abandoned as a pup, surviving on her own wit. She is slightly retarded ((OOC: Literally)) from lack of food, but still perfectly capable of hunting. Her speach is slow and slurred, but she is quick and agile, and ready to obey orders.

Haytin is a submissive male, good at everything, excelling in nothing. 'Nuff said.

Ubej is a strange female. She keeps out of trouble, but is constantly examining her surroundings. She is a good hunter when she wants to be but she can also be a drag and ruin the hunt.

Tasia:

Mystyc was walking with the wiged lupe and laughing. Trab watched for a few moments, then called "Mystyc!"

The black filly had her ears on end, and ran to her father "Yes?"

"That friend of yours, that Mikasi?"

"Yes,"

"Don't you think you should be playing with other unis?"

Mystyc blinked "But dad, Mikasi is a uni. Well, he's half uni."

"No, my dear. He's a lupe with wings. There are these things...Pain bushes.."

"Paint brushes! And no, he's half uni. Look, his mother, Ally used to be uni."

"That's not right. As your mother informed me, the uni Ally disappeared long before we knew of the lupe Ally."

"Well, she became a nomad- trailing the heals of the pack that was here before, and her love, Wuff."

Trab laughed "Oh honey, you have such a wonderful imagination!"

Mystyc groaned. She would get no where like this. Trab said "Mystyc, I forbid you from playing with that lupe."

Mystyc blinked "Excuse me? You can't do-"

"Mystyc I'm your father!"

"But that's not-"

"Mystyc, lupes eat unis."

"He's a uni/lupe!" Mystyc yelled "And his pack doesn't eat unis!"

Trab groaned "Mystyc, you can't breed instincts like that out of a creature. He may be your friend today, but tomarrow he might be your enemy."

Mystyc listened, and when he was done she said "You're wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"You're wrong. Mikasi is my friend. He loves me. He really loves me. And I love him. And we're going to be mates."

Trab was blown away, and when he recovered his daughter and the pup were nowhere in sight.

Noe watched her wonderful family.

They could both tell the pup Brua was desdined for greatness. He had big feet and claws and a strong muzzle. Sometimes Shiko couldn't believe the child was his but Noe said she wasn't surprised.

The pale blue pup was definately the leader. She had a fighter spirit and was passionate, and Shiko had chosen the name Allia after the alpha female Ally.

Falara was compassionate, was the only one to ever play with Frailik. She didn't like Bru and Allia very much, but did whatever Bru commanded out of fear.

Frailik stood head and shoulders over his siblings, but he was weak. Bru knew the unstable places in his long legs, and enjoyed making Frailik fall over. When this happened Falara forgot her friendship with Frailik and joined with Bru. Usually Allia stopped them both from picking on the pup, but that did not mean she liked him.

Morgan:

Ally stared at the strange creature that flew off. My worst night nightmare? She shuddered. What was Wuff going to say?! She and the pups had finally returned.

Moya flew towards Wuff, screaming "DADDY DADDY DADDY!" the entire way.

Nagrom raced after her in a zigzaggy spinny wobbly crazy kind of run, hollering "PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA! WE GOTS A SPRISE FOR YUHZ!"

Nami glided smoothly toward Wuff. Smoothly doesn't mean slowly. She was going faster than Moya even! "FAAAAAAAAATHEEEEEEEEEERRRRR!"

Ally walked over to Wuff, who was receiving the same welcome as she had, slowly. She was unsure. "Wuff?"

Wuff turned to face her and he looked surprised, but his eyes softened. "So, Ally. New look? Didja fall in the sky?" He grinned and Ally ran up to him. "Welcome back, guys. Welcome back."

Mikasi was furious with Trab at first, but when Mystyk stood up for him... He was blown away. She had told her father they were going to be mates. Mikasi was floating in bliss. This was... Again, perfect. A question burned in his throat. He had to ask! But curiousity killed the Kougra... But satifaction brought it back! "My--Mystyk... When?" That was all he could say as he followed her. That was the question. His stomach was full of knots! He was scared. Of what, he was unsure, but he knew fear. He had met it when he had met Laenyn. There was something wrong with her.

Zonk paced the floor nervously. What was going on? Her eyes kept darting toward the clock, watching the seconds tick by like hours. Was Morgan ok? She was scared. What had happened to h-- A voice in the back of her head started up.

Ahh... Zonk. You've returned. Why did you try to kill Morgan, hmm? If I hadn't taken over again...

What do you mean?! I didn't do a thing to Mor--

Ahh, Zonk, but you did... I am Laenyn, and you are Zonk. I am good, you are evil. Morgan can tell how bad you are... Haven't you seen it yourself?

B-b-but I thought... No! It just can't be!

But it is Zonk, it is! You need to get far far away from Morgan... I can't let you hurt my little sister.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY YOUR LITTLE SISTER?!?!

Ahhh... What a violent one you are. Morgan is definately in danger around you-but, can't you remember? You tried to kill her in her sleep... Remember your dream Zonk?

Zonk remained silent. How could she forget?

I thought you would. While you are in my body, you have prophetic powers... Leave the body and Morgan will be safe.

But that means...

Death? Yes, it does, but didn't you say you'd give your life for hers? Oh wait, you must've meant that you would give your life to end hers... Should've known that...

No! I would die for Morgan! What do I need to d-- She was cut off. Morgan was screaming in the other room. Screaming the word no. Zonk's eyes widened and she raced in.

Morgan was flailing, still screaming. Her dream was getting worse.

The darkness had changed, though the pain remained. The darkness was full of teeth and eyes, all gleaming evilly. Laenyn's teeth and eyes. Laenyn's teeth cutting through her. She knew it looked like Zonk's teeth and eyes, but there something wrong. The eyes were overflowing with hatred and disgust. It couldn't be Zonk! NOOOOOOO! NO NO NOOOOOOOOO!! HEEEEEEELLLLLPPP!!!! ZOOOOOOOOONK!!! NOOOOOOO!! She tried to break free. She had to escape! But there was no escaping the darkness. It overwhelmed her, the teeth growing fiercer and the eyes more hateful. Then... She heard... What was it?

Zonk had sat down beside Morgan, and couldn't think of anything to do. She was torn. Something in her, buried deep, was telling her to sing, but something bigger... More powerful said it would hurt her. What should she do?! Her mouth opened and a strange song came out. It was as though her weaker side had taken over.

"I've spent several weeks in sadness,
My heart starts to sigh,
All I want is to die,
How long until I cry?

I've spent several months in sadness,
My soul seems to sigh,
All I want is to die,
Why can I not cry?

Now I've spent several years in sadness,
I cannot seem to cry,
All I want is to die,
Why am I still alive?

I'm curious 'bout that sadness,
So I look deep inside,
But I get trapped within it,
And there is nowhere I can hide.

I'm searching through that sadness,
Bleak and dreary blue,
I've found why I am still alive,
A tiny spark of light, hidden 'mong the blue.

I'm gawking at the spark,
The savior of my life,
The thing that kept me going through all the strife,
"Why me of all people?" I whisper, holding close my light.

My light shines brighter than the sun,
In the sky of blue,
What is my light, you wonder?
Why, my friend, it's you."

Zonk was shocked. What was she singing? Where was it coming from?! Her eyes widened and she turned to Morgan.

Morgan's dream.

It's... That's Zonk! She's ok! The darkness was lightening to blue, a sad shade of it, foggy, dirty, and pale. But there, far over there, was a tiny spot of yellow shining out past everything. Morgan swam towards it reaching out with her paw. She touched it and pulled it close to her. "I miss Zonk..." she whispered, a tear on her cheek, glimmering in the candlelight of her bedroom. What... Her BEDROOM? She was back! She and Zonk hugged, but Zonk broke away. No... Laenyn broke away. There was pure terror in Morgan's eyes. "No..." she breathed, shaking and cowering. Zonk watched as though she were in control of the body. Which she thought she was.

Morgan... No... I need to go... She needs to be safe! She turned to Laenyn What do I need to do? Laenyn was sitting in a corner of Zonk's mind, obscured by shadow. Had she been in the light, Zonk would've noticed the evil smirk on her face.

You need to leave Morgan and return my body to me... There is, however, a price... A cost for the safety of my little sister. You.