A/N

So…tired…didn't get a great night's sleep last night, so if this one's not as good as the rest, sorry, hope you enjoy it anyway.


Walking upwards through the foothills and finally reaching rocky paths that led up the mountain, we decided to bed down for the night, as the sun was already dipping dangerously low.

"Well, now that we're all settled," Mr. McCoy finished unpacking his bedroll. "I suggest we take stock in our situation, and try to figure out what to do next."

"If our groups was any indication, there are at least four people missing, and we still need to find a way home. On top of that, we may want to figure out why we've been brought here." Jean summarized quickly.

"Perhaps you'd like to fill some parts in, Danielle." Mr. McCoy said, settling his eyes on me.

His words startled me out of looking back the way we came and wondering if we'd been followed.

"What?" I asked, realizing fully what he meant.

"I'd like you to tell us what you know, as you seem to know more than the rest of us."

More eyes settled on me, questioning. All of the younger mutants looked at me, wondering what I could possibly have to contribute.

"Well…" I drew it out, wondering if I shouldn't try to deny, but I quickly realized it was far too late for that, and perhaps it was time to divulge a few secrets of my own. "We have been brought here, well, most of us, because we are of another world and are virgins."

"Are they so hard pressed for them here?" Ray asked Rahne, who abruptly swatted him on the back of the head with her hand.

"Now don't quote me on this," I said dryly, ignoring the angry retort from Ray, "But apparently some evil dude with an ego problem wants us for whatever reason, and that's who those gremlin things and that monster back in the woods belongs too. Somehow this ties in with the Morphos that have been flitting around. They're attracted to magic."

"How do you know all of this?" Jean asked me suspiciously.

"I have a source, who likes to remain anonymous." I said glancing out into the dusk again, not seeing anything but our own footprints and dust and rocks.

"I think we need to know, Danny."

"I can't tell you, because I barely know anything of him myself."

"Has one of the others been caught yet?" She demanded, eyes flashing. I could tell she was thinking about Scott.

"No. Not yet. But the bad guy is beginning to make some sort of preparations."

"How do you know?"

I rose an eyebrow at her and pointed to a far off tree that was loud with the cawing of some sort of bird. "They sense it, and they tell me."

"How do you know you can trust your anonymous source?" She asked.

"He hasn't steered me wrong yet." I shrugged.

"I can't believe this…Danny, how could you keep this sort of thing a secret to us?" She snapped.

"Would you believe me a week ago if I told?"

"Yes! I would!" She rubbed her temples with her fingers and glared. "I have lost all respect for you."

"Jean!" Jubilee squeaked.

"No! She withheld valuable information, which we could have used! She's been lying to us the entire time and has proved herself unworthy of my respect." She fumed.

This was worse than what I had thought it would be. It hurt, being told these things, and I felt a nasty knot in the pit of my stomach.

But I understand, this is what happens when information doesn't reach everyone's ears. I knew it was wrong not to say anything, but they may not have believed, and I would be in the same boat, making up ridiculous stories and lies and still losing respect. A lose-lose situation.

"Anything else you want to lie about?" Jean had been ranting while I was thinking, and I had missed over half of it.

I shook my head. I hadn't told the full story about the robed man, but I don't think she was in the mood to hear it, and I was feeling some resentment bubbling underneath the surface.

"There'd better not be. I'd be extremely disappointed in you, and I don't know if it's possible to be more disappointed in you than I am already. Everyone get some sleep, except you Rahne, and you Kitty. You guys take first watch and wake Mr. McCoy and I up in two hours."

No one brought up the subject of dinner, and the tension was so thick, one could cut it with a knife. I was stinging from the sharp rebukes, but my face was nothing but calm. I relaxed myself completely and curled up on my bedroll, looking up at the stars and watching the way they seemed to twinkle slowly. I closed my eyes.

I opened them several hours later. A few glances determined Jean still in her bedroll, Mr. McCoy slumped next to a rock, looking out into the distance, and the two previous guards sleeping. I watched Mr. McCoy with hooded eyes until I realized he was asleep too.

I got up immediately. No, it wasn't Him, I could still hear the birds and bugs, but it was unusual for Mr. McCoy to shirk in anything. The only way would have been a spell, but I already crossed him off the list. And the animals didn't seem the least perturbed, so it couldn't have been two legged or otherwise. Of course, it had been a tough time, he could have just fallen asleep.

I padded over to him, looking him over. Yes, he was just asleep. He must have nodded off while looking out across the highlands

I drew away from the group and walked up the path that winded through the stony rocks. I caught myself from tripping about six times, but soon left them behind.

Part of me wanted to screech out words that would make any 'nice' girl cringe. I was boiling inside, but one couldn't tell very well. I think I may have come off as uncaring to Jean, and that made her more angry.

My bare feet collected dust from the ground, kicking it off as my feet landed. I was glad I didn't have shoes, it made my feet seem more sure of themselves, for whatever reason. As long as I didn't walk straight into a briar patch or some other prickly seed, I think I'll be alright.

The top of the mound I managed to get to was a twenty minute walk from our campsite. So far, no predators of any kind, which was odd for the middle of the night. There should be wild dogs or some other such carnivore. But none are in the immediate vicinity, probably because of the oddly smelling two leggers. Strange how they don't smell me as one of the group. It made me feel oddly detached.

From here I could see from several miles around-it was on of the higher hills of the highland.

I squinted across the direction we were headed, or had been headed, and saw a bunch of stones. They looked arranged, like a sort of alternate Stonehenge. I glanced back and saw Mr. McCoy had not stirred, and there were still no enemies in thought or sight.

Which doesn't mean they aren't there, I reminded myself. I have to remember the shadow.

But I find it odd that I see the shadow and the others haven't seen it either, even though it darted in the trees beside them. They should have seen it, but no one mentioned it.

I slid down the hill in the direction of the stones. It took me about an hour to reach them.

They were large stone slabs, with writing on them that I could barely see from the moonlight filtering from the clouds above. The writing was foreign to me.

I snorted. My kingdom for someone who can read this, mutant, human or otherwise.

I moved onto another slab. It looked like it had a different language. "Someone who could read every language would have a field day." I muttered after I looked over several other slabs, all with different looking writing.

After awhile I sighed and turned to go back to camp. I don't want to give them anymore to distrust me about.

I had almost gotten out of the stones when I felt something brush past. I whipped around in time to see a shadow disappear from the sight in the corner of my eye.

"I know you, don't I?" I murmured, trying to catch sight of it again. It was the same one, I believe as the one that followed me in the forest. It was being pretty bold.

After ten minutes, I slowly turned and began climbing the path again to get on the other side of the hill, back to the camp. The moonlight lit the way, and I kept alert, incase it followed. I wasn't trying to feed myself delusions that it might be a trick of the eyes. I was certain that it was something that was there, it was just being slippery.

I saw it again as I began the descent in front of Mr. McCoy, careful not to misstep and wake him up. It slid in and out of my vision.

When I got down to the camp, I bent down to scratch my heel, and while I was down there I picked up a large sized rock, about the size of my palm.

I straightened up, cracking my back a little as I stretched, waiting for my little friend to come closer. I watched it for about twenty seconds before I swung around fast and let the rock fly.

Stones and pebbles fell down the slope, and my rock hit nothing, but I had seen by the way the shadow, which almost had a shape to my eyes before it disappeared, stiffen in surprise before blazing away. It was too fast to watch.

"What are you doing?" Mr. McCoy rumbled behind me.

I looked behind me at him. Then I squinted back at the spot where the shadow had been.

"I saw something."

"What?"

"I don't know. I don't think it will do anything, though, I think I scared it away. I'm going to sleep." I said, before returning to my bedroll.


Looks like Danny has another thing following her around.

Asteria: Heh, thank you! I was wondering if anyone caught the connection. I hope you like the story!

AnonGirl88: Looks like you're going to have to restock on nutmeg. Good luck with that. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

PrincessOfWildfire: Really? I think my mythical beast is dragon, I'm not sure of anything else as of yet though. Glad you liked the last chapter, hope you like this one as well.

asp: Poor Danny, she changes as much mentally as Julian physically. Anyway, I'll try to reveal more as time passes. Hope you like the chapter!

Raliena: Well, she was out of the woods, I think she was okay. Well, I hope to see you reviewing when you come back, have fun!

Herman shall take the reviews around his mini-alternate Stonehenge!