Chapter two

A/N: I'm very surprised (In a good way of course) that I got a great response for the first chapter. And I'll say this. I have no intention to give this story up, at least without warning. But you'll have to bear with me, I'm a slow writer, and I've got very limited time to write. Keep up the reviews. Constructive criticism is always loved.

Disclaimer: Well... You see, there's this person called Phillip Pullman. He owns this wonderful stuff... I don't.

"We're stopping here."

Marie looked up. She had only been half, or rather much less than half, way paying attention as the daemons lead her on. She still had no idea of where she was, and was looking forward to a nice explanation while sitting around a warm fire.

"Yes, it's time to build camp."

The speaking of the two strange creatures soothed her, despite the one had such a low raspy voice, and the other a slightly higher raspy voice. She's really like to know how she managed to come from the Tower of The Angels, into some wilderness place that she knew nothing about.

She wasn't stupid, she wasn't the smartest, but defiantly not stupid, and she knew that this place wasn't like anything on the earth she came from. Marie set to making a fire, and the two daemons scouted out the area.

Marie had sort of gone into a silent trance as they had been walking through the foreign world. She hadn't been thinking of anything, other than walking. But then again, in a forest that did take a lot of concentration.

As she managed to get a small fire up, the daemons came back. "It's fine now. Nobody's anywhere near here."

"Who'd be in the middle of a forest like this one?"

"Well, I'm sure a lot of creatures would live in a place like this."

"Remember this is a different world."

"So then... What world is it?"

"It doesn't exactly have a name, but the creatures that live here are very similar to you. Humans as it were." Marie nodded absently.

"That nice and all, but what are we doing here? Am I supposed to find my mother or something?"

"Well, I can't tell you that much," the witch's daemon sighed. "In fact, right about now is when I must leave you. Good bye." And before Marie or Sopiaron could do anything, the raven had flown off.

"Well... What a help?" Marie started, looking expectantly at her own daemon. "What do you think we should do?"

"Not hang around here for to long. I think we'd better get out of here."

"But there's a nice fire here, and I think we're safe."

"But it wouldn't be good to linger here if we didn't have to."

"Can't I at least get some rest? It already feels as though I've been walking for ages."

"Yes... I suppose some rest would do you good."

"Watch the fire." Marie commanded. She watched Ron transform into a lion, and sit alert, livid eyes scanning the grounds.

She knew she could trust him to keep her safe. She had no doubt that he would defend her, them, and whatever. She still had yet to grab this whole companion/one concept. But she still had a hard time falling asleep, and she didn't think it was due to the ground she was on.

It couldn't be called a pleasant relaxation by any stretch of the imagination. She knew she had been tossing and turning the whole time, and was pretty sure she had hit my head on a root at some point. But when she awoke it wasn't because of her own discomforts.

Marie felt a sharp pain on the side of her leg. It was as though a large cat's claws had just raked across her skinny leg. She sat up and cursed quietly, but quickly realized there was nothing anywhere near her. She found herself a bit further from where she figured Ron was, but couldn't really tell, as the fire was out, and it was still pretty dark under the canopy of leaves.

She felt another stab of pain, in her lower arm this time. She gasped in pain 'what was this?' She wondered.

She heard a similar cry of pain from where she had left Ron near the fire. Was this him, was this all his pain? She stood up, and as soon as she had the advantage of height, even if it was a mere 5" 5' she could see what was going on near the ashes of the fire.

Her daemon was being attacked! She couldn't even tell what was attacking it, but she could tell there were a more than a few of them.

Sopiaron was changing shape rapidly, hoping that would throw them off, but it didn't. She realized what they must be now.

They had to be some sort of shape shifter. Ron became a wolf, and so did the other things. They kept mirroring his forms. He continued fighting as a snow leopard.

She had no clue what she was doing, but within a few seconds, she had crossed to where the fight was, and tried to intervene. Tried... I really tried. She had no clue what to do. They all knew she was there, but they didn't react in any way whatsoever. She felt like she should be doubled up in pain, those blows hurt so bad, but she knew she couldn't just fall, Ron would give up.

And then what would happen? They'd probably kill them, or maybe take them prisoner. Marie couldn't let that happen, could she?

Since she didn't know what to do, she probably did the worse possible thing. As they were fighting as clouded leopards, she just put in a hand, and pulled Ron out of the mess.

Or rather, attempted to. She could tell exactly which one was him, the one in the middle, and the bloodiest, but she couldn't seem to reach him. Her hand plunged in, but it just couldn't touch any of them.

"Ron" She cried! "Ron, what can I do?" Her eyes were tear filled, every inch of my body aching, but she knew she had to save him somehow.

There was of course, no answer to her question. How could there have been. There was another change, and now they were all foxes. Her hands went in again, and made contact with some random shape shifter. She did manage to fling it to the side however.

And by some miracle, her hand made contact with Sopiaron rough fur. It felt so wonderful to have him back with her. She felt him change into a small weasel against my chest.

"It's OK." He whispered. "I would've gotten them! I would've beaten them!" he panted.

I managed to get a few off while you were still asleep."

"Hush," she whispered soothingly.

She managed to look up at where the fight had been seconds ago... The shape shifters were no more. Vanished... Gone... All within the space of about ten seconds. She couldn't figure out if that was a good thing or not.

"We have to get out of here!" They said in perfect unison. Ron jumped out of Marie's arm, becoming a horse in the process.

"Get on," he shook out his mane, and bent down for her to get on.

"I've never ridden..." She said hesitantly.

"Too bad, just get on!" He whinnied. Marie swung her leg over, and emidatly felt Ron stand back up to full height, and take off.

He didn't seem to be going as fast as she figured he could at first. He must've been able to sense her insecurities. But as she grew more confident, he grew swifter, and soon they were at a full gallop.

Maire loved the feel of the wind blowing her hair back in the wind, and the rush of the air passing her face. It felt as though she was the most Supreme Being in the world.

They went on like this for several hours, before Marie realized the gallop had slowed to a slow trot.

"What's the matter Ron?" Maire asked.

"Nothing... I'm no more tired than you... I've just..." he paused. Marie figured she knew what he meant. He was afraid of where they were going... No, that wasn't it. "I just feel like... Like I've been here before!"

Marie looked around. She had the same feeling, but... "Come on Ron, forests are always like this! Aren't they? Everyone I've ever been was... All the same, row after row of trees, which seem never-ending."

"But... I swear something's the same..."

"Well, staying here won't do anything! We might be able to find a river... Or something else that'd lead us to safety! Or at least that'll lead to a way put of here."

Ron made a neutral sound, but was soon of running.

Marie slipped into the motion, thinking all the while, We'd better get out of here!