anichee?(cool name!) if you ever read this, NEVER! Writing is my PASSION, and as long as i have hands, a comp and da net, i will never, EVER give up writing! And thanks for your review!

Chapter nineteen (yowza!); Animal Eyes

Present…

Robert

I skulled the 'medicine' just moments before I shifted. I felt a little light headed, watching as Jade and Amanda tipped their heads back, and the dark green liquid vanished from the tubes they'd been holding. The Animorphs had already taken theirs. Well, more like we'd helped all of them (except Ax) to down their own little mixtures.

I shifted to my favourite form; the polar bear. Amanda opted for something different. She went cheetah. Jade went her usual tigress, and Ithiell became a black wolf. Rtaia stayed herself, and we were all set. Now, we would attack with everything we had.

We slowly made our way to the camp, which wasn't far. When we did we separated, circling the entire camp. It would give them more targets, or so Ithiell and Jake had said. I agreed in a way. Plus, I could use my own style when no-one else was around.

Hard and fast. That's just the way I liked it.

I stopped when I was halfway around the right side. Amanda was in front of me, and I could barely see her. Marco was right behind me. All I could see of him was a muscled arm.

(All right, everyone set? Ax? Rtaia?)

(We are in position) Ax said. Good. We'd need them most of all.

(All right. But only move on my mark, all right?)

(We will not move until you tell us) he said.

(Ok, Jake)

(I am all set buddy)

(Good. On the count of three…. one…. two…GO!)

We exploded… exploded… out of the trees! All I saw was the shock on the Terinans faces, and Amanda hit them full on… then I struck!

THWAK! I threw my arm, connecting squarely with a Terinan stomach. It sent him flying into the hull of the ship! He fell… although, not quite all there anymore…

Tsssssew-crunch! I saw Jake bite the gun of a Terinan as it was still firing! Marco threw a punch, and the Terinan was hit in the face, landing on three of his brothers! Cassie and Ithiell had pared up, and were using their wolf speed and agility to run circles around them! Ha! This was easy!

Tssssssewwww!

(AHHHHH!) Rachel screamed. I turned my head to see she was missing an entire arm… and half a leg!

(ITHIELL!) Tobias screamed from above, taking out the one who'd shot her!

(Don't worry!)

(Oh, wait! It…it doesn't…) she stopped, and watched in awe as her limbs grew back.

(I thought… wasn't that supposed to hurt!)

(NO! That's another component of it! No pain!) Ithiell cried as he fought.

(Cool!)

(Aiiiiiiiiiiiaaah!) Jade screamed. I turned just in time as she hit the hull of one of the ships, and fall, bloody. Seconds later she was up on her feet again, shaking her head. This was unreal!

(Robert? Rachel? Would you do the honours, please?) Jake asked. I saw Ax and Rtaia waiting in the bushes.

(My pleasure!) I lowered my head, ploughing into the mass of Terinans that were now desperately scrabbling for guns and whatever other weapons they had to protect themselves with. Seconds later a grizzly was mirroring my actions.

Tsssssssssewwww! Front leg and part of my chest was gone! I should have been screaming in agony, but… no! I watched in amazement as snake like things exploded out of the shredded ends… and I was whole again! Front leg and all!

Rachel did the honour of taking out the one who'd shot me.

(Great isn't it!) she laughed. I laughed with her.

(Great? This is excellent!)

We made space for Ax and Rtaia, and when there was enough room, they exploded from the trees, firing at whatever tried to fire at them. Seconds later I heard hooves hitting the ramp of one of the hatches, and I knew they were finally inside. I turned and saw the hatch of one of the fighters start to close, but… Terinans were swarming it!

(Let's go!) I yelled, running at them. Rachel and Marco soon joined me. Together we ripped off the Terinans from first the hatch, then the rest of the ship. We backed up as the fired the engines, taking out the rest at the back.

(We are in the air. Please move away from the…)

(All right, let's go!) Ithiell shot by me, trailing Cassie and a couple of dozen P.Oed Terinans after him. By the time Rachel and I were done, it was barely sixteen. Jade and Jake followed, mirroring one another as they struck and took out another four.

Amanda shot by us all, taking out at least three more on her own and putting Jade and Jakes performance to shame. Marco came lumbering up beside us, looking no worse for wear.

TSSSSSSSEWWWWWW!

(AHHH!) We all screamed in unison as something hit us, sending us all tumbling. There was a numb, far-off sort of pain all over as I landed face first in the dirt. Something landed on top of me, and then all around me. I heard Amanda screaming.

(Amanda!) I yelled, trying to look around for her.

(It's ok… it's ok! Amanda, stop screaming!) I heard Ithiell scream.

(But… but… my entire bottom half is… it's…)

(Growing back) someone else said, then the thing above me moved. I realised it was Jake. Great. Bet that looked real mature.

I got up, finding parts of me were 'growing back' as well. So was everyone else…

(What the… Rtaia!) Rachel yelled.

(That was not us. It was… another ship. Do not fear, it was destroyed. We are also destroying the other ground, based ships)

(Great) Marco muttered, lumbering over to an unmoving Jade. She looked like she was in shock. Or…

No. It couldn't.

(Jade?) I asked cautiously.

(Y-yes?) her voice was shaky. More than I'd ever heard. Jade wasn't one to be scared easily. And she was quick to act.

(What… are you ok?)

(I… I think what I took must've been defective… I… I just… I felt myself ripped apart…) She got up, and Marco was soon beside her. She looked shaken up too.

(It can only mean one thing) Ithiell said grimly.

(What?)

(That the drugs are wearing off. We have to finish this, now)

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Past…

Jade

I caught a thermal, which lifted me up, like an elevator. Down below, I could see everything. The Terinans marching, stealing things from one another… each footfall… every small insect they stomped… mind you, these things were about tarantula size. You don't want to know how big the… the big insects got here.

We were on the Chanaiben planet. Just at the time when the Terinans decided now was time to invade the place. I was not happy. Fourteen, and probably missing out on my little sisters first words…

I sailed high above them, then turned and made my way back towards our line. Our stronghold. Our… our marching troop.

I adjusted my wings at just the right times, seeing we were closer than we'd first thought. A large line of trees separated our troop from the Terinans. I dropped down lower, seeing Amanda and Robert, both bears, were marching along beside the Terinans. Ithiell was up the front, a black wolf. Rtaia was somewhere too, but I couldn't see her…

(How's it looking?) Ithiell asked me as I swept just over his head, then doubled back to swing past them again.

(Not so good. Just beyond the trees… and maybe a hill, but I can't be sure. And… there are more of them than we thought)

(How many?)

(Three thousand, at least)

(Well… our second brigade should be coming along soon. We have about two thousand here, and more on the way… all right then. Jade? Check them one more time then find a place to land and shift)

(You got it boss!) If I had been human I'd have saluted him. Instead I swept over their heads again, getting enough wind under my wings to soar again. I did another swing around, figuring I'd have enough time to land and shift before they got here.

I tipped my wings, rocketing down towards the edge of the treeline. I could see my friends approaching from the left of me as I flared my wings and landed on the muddy slope of the treeline. I slipped a little, but caught my footing. I quickly shifted to human, needing a moment to breathe as myself a…

TSSSSSSSSSSEWWWWWWW!

TTTSSSHHHEWWWWWWW!

TSSSSSEWWWWWWW!

"Hwwwroooaarrrr!"

"Yuuuiii!" Someone screamed, and seconds later they were all around me! Terinans… Chanaibens… my friends…

(MOVE IT JADE!) Robert screamed. I… I couldn't move!

(COME ON, MOVE IT! I CAN'T… LOOK OUT!)

I turned my head, and there, with a crescent sword raised, was a Terinan….

"Keeeeeerrraaaannnnn!" A Chanaiben scream, and seconds later the image of the Terinan was replaced by a Chanaiben face. Female… she smiled, and then…

Then I saw the diagonal cut across her chest. It got worse… and then two halves of her dropped to the floor…

"AHHH! NO!" I screamed in terror, watching as Ithiell ran and pounced on a Terinan far off….

I scrambled up, tripped, scrambled across the muddy ground… had to get out! Had to find a place to shift! Couldn't…

Something shot by me, missing me by inches. I stumbled… got to my feet…

And found a Jahara gun pointed directly at my head. I felt the cool metal of it pressing against my forehead as it took a step closer. The Terinan had me now, and if I…

Wham! Something hit the Terinan from the side! Another Chanaiben!

He and the Terinan fought as I just stared…

"Go!" he said "Help your…"

And that's when the Terinan fired blindly. Seconds later, what was left of the Chanaiben who had saved my life fell to the ground.

"NOOOOOO!" I screamed, pulling out my small dagger and shoving it straight into his head. Safe to say, the reaction was exactly what I wanted.

I wiped the blade and looked around. Everywhere I saw people fighting… my friends…

(Jade COME ON!) Amanda screamed, and suddenly she was there, bloodied but still alive…

"But… but I…"

(Shift! I'll cover you!)

So I did, feeling the dread and fear in my changing heart as I watched my best friend fight to protect me… I was numb…

I shut my emotions out, knowing I could feel later. Right now, this was war.

And I hated every minute of it.

Ok, I was gonna end it on 20 chaps, but this seems to be going overtime. Don't worry, it'll be finished soon enough. And I might add a special 'alternate ending' to this too. Just cause I can. Byz!