Killer Castaways!

PG-13

I don't own Animorphs.

A/N: Yeah. Yeah I KNOW I haven't updated in five years. Now aren't you excited for chapter one? It actually makes sense! Now read!

Chapter One

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill

It all started when my human friends decided to take two weeks off from being Animorphs -- people who can turn into animals for the purpose of defeating the Yeerks -- because Prince Jake and Rachel were having a "family reunion up North" for the first three days, which, at the time of this meeting in Cassie's barn, started the next day.

Now, three days wouldn't have been a problem. Except for the fact that after they mentionned the family reunion, other events started being called forth...

" Sorry, guys, but I'm gonna be out for a while too." Marco said. " ... My dad's making me go to this activity camp, because he's got a lot to do that week. And, guess what else? The camp lasts the whole week. Starting in three days from today."

Prince Jake shook his head.

" That's one day before we get back! All this stuff really isn't helping us out..." he said.

" And besides..." Cassie said regretfully. " Marco's not the only one going to summer camp... I sort of agreed to go to a veterinary convention. My dad said that if I ever want to be a veterinarian, I'm going to have to get more into the practice. My camp is about the same time as Marco's... It starts two days after his. Mine lasts longer, though. Eight days."

She paused.

" ... Oh, and Tobias decided to come along." she added. " I asked if he wanted to, and he said sure, since he had nothing else to do."

She turned to me, regret in her eyes.

" I'm sorry, Ax," she said. " I really wish you could come too... But it would be too much trouble with the morphing and all. All Tobias has to do is pretend he's a perfectly normal hawk!"

( That is fine, Cassie, )I assured her. ( I will find some way to occupy myself while you are all gone. )

" And besides, we need someone to stay behind just in case something happens." said Jake. " And just in case something very drastic happens, we all have to tell Ax where we'll be so he can fly over and find us."

Everyone nodded. And then, for a little while, everything went back to normal.

Unfortunately, though, as you must have figured, that did not last for long...

Knowing that my friends would be out for a while, I decided to take a few days off myself. And, about twenty minutes after the conversation in Cassie's barn, I wished each of them a good time and headed off in my own direction. A few days off from fighting the Yeerks awaited me... And I would spend my time running free in the meadows beyond Cassie's farm. Free, like all Andalites should be.

Like the way it was before... Before the war. And before the Yeerks.

Although, I would also take advantage of this time alone, of course: I would be sure to spend at least a few hours in northern harrier morph, searching my human friends' town for possible new information on the Yeerks.

Yeerks... The word fills me with hatred. For anyone who doesn't already know, Yeerks are a parasitic species who have invaded Earth. They really are not that much to look at, as they greatly resemble an Earth species called 'slugs'. Big, grayish slugs with tiny flippers and antennae. In other words, Yeerks.

... In fact, 'grayish' was a misstatement: Yeerks normally range from gray-green to a light gray, and in some rare cases there are even --

I am sorry. I didn't mean to put you to sleep. I'm boring, aren't I? ... I get that a lot.

Anyhow, no need to give you a whole five-page recital about the physiology of Yeerks. It's not my fault, really! We Andalites are taught to always tell things to the best of our knowledge. Even though it makes me sick to even think about the creatures who killed my brother...

But no matter. And besides, I'll definitely need those five pages... In order to explain what happens next.

Your mind must be clicking awake by now, thinking something along the lines of: "Oh yeah! Now I remember! This story isn't about boring old physiology! Something interesting is actually gonna happen!"

Interesting for you, maybe. But trust me... For me, it was complete and simple hell. H-E-L-L. You don't know what it's like, being stuck for who-knows how long, with three people who have just completely lost it -- Okay I've said enough. And remember, as you laugh at me when I am going through something absolutely horrendous (shudder), just at least TRY to remember my pain.

But anyway, back to the point. This whole thing started a half-human-hour later. It's funny to think that in the tiny space of one half-hour, my entire life changed completely. But that's what happened, okay? And if you do not believe me, good for you. You may now close the document.

... But for those of you who wish to find out more, just keep on reading...

I was walking across the plain, my hooves making soft, squishy sounds against the wet ground, soaked up from the previous night's rain. The sun shone again now, though, and came shining down on my blue-and-tan fur.

I felt good. Much better than a while ago, that's for sure. See, a while ago, I was still very worried about the Yeerks, and where they would strike next. But now... Now all I cared about was Earth's thin, dry air, and the grass beneath my hooves...

Little did I know what would soon happen. And to tell you the truth, it never even crossed my mind (well, not that something like this would ever cross any self-respecting, sane person's mind...). It never even clicked that I might not be safe out here... I just felt so at home.

I turned away from the sun and drank from a nearby stream, submerging my left forehoof into the water. Having quenched my thirst, I looked back... The sun was shining, the sky was blue, a Bug fighter was coming down from the sky...

I turned back and took another drink. And then, my eyes opened wide and stared straight in front as I realized...

A BUG FIGHTER?

Right then, as if an entire army of Hork-Bajir from Hell was chasing me, I took off as fast as I could toward the first forest border I saw. Hopefully I hadn't blown it for all my friends... And my people! Oh God, oh God, I hope that Bug fighter hadn't seen me!

I got to the forest and dove in, my front legs buckling from the impact and sending me toppling onto the ground. My left arm hit a tree and immediately started stinging.

I caught my hurried breath as quickly as possible. I couldn't afford to be exhausted... not now. The occupants of the Bug fighter were sure to come searching for me, and I had to be ready to run... I watched, terrified, as the ship came down lower... lower...

What will Prince Jake think of me if I am caught and get us all killed? I thought to myself in a panic.

The ship lowered still, ready to land. It was glistening so brightly in the sunlight, I couldn't even see it clearly. But I knew it represented danger. Grave danger.

What should I do?

I thought about it for a moment. I thought about how hopeless I was. What if there were four, even five deadly, bladed Hork-Bajir, all armed with lethal Dracon beams set at the highest level? Would I stand even a slight chance?

... But then I thought about Prince Jake. About the humans and the Andalites. My people. My two peoples. What would happen to them if I gave up?

And that's when I made a decision. Right then, right there. And I told myself this one thing:

Run, Aximili! Run!

I ran. I ran as fast as I could, not stopping for a second. I whipped through the line of trees and across a large plain.

... Actually, now that I actually stop and think about it, the fact that this whole misadventure happened to me was all a coincidence. A pure and simple coincidence. See, right at that moment, the sun disappeared behind a cloud, stopping the sun from hitting the Bug fighter. It could be seen perfectly now. And it was right at that one moment that my left stalk eye decided it might be a good time to look back...

I stopped dead. Stopped running, looking, even breathing. Because what I saw not only fixed my situation completely, it was a whole different situation all by itself. And this situation was just as disturbing as what I thought it had been before. In places, even more...

You see, what I saw then was no Bug fighter.

It was an Andalite ship.

I still couldn't believe my stalk eyes. An Andalite ship! The ship of my people, whom I hadn't seen in so long! Were there really Andalites in that ship? Could I finally contact my people and explain what had happened to Elfangor and the humans?

I turned around and started running back toward the ship. I know, I know, it was a stupid move. This could all be part of an elaborate plan. The Yeerks could have simply stolen an Andalite ship to make us think they were Andalites, and then...

... How stupid was I? I was so naive!

Come on Aximili! I told myself. Get out of here before you get everyone's hindquarters in even bigger trouble...

Thinking wisely now, I shot a last longing look at the Andalite ship, a last reminder of my people, and started running away...

And let me just tell you, I hadn't covered three miles before I heard it.

I heard thought-speech in my head.

( Wait! Cousin Andalite! )

I stopped in my tracks and turned around once again.

And there, standing about a quarter of a mile away, was an Andalite.

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