Author's note: Sorry about the wait! Ok, this is the chapter where the story actually begins. And for all who care, yes, this does all add up. You may have to reread a few parts of "The Last of My Kind, but I promise, the math does work here! Sorry about it being so short. As I said, this story will be short, very short! Enjoy!

Chapter Three: The Last of Her Kind

Ceaira walked up to the Beast. It had sensed that something was horribly wrong. It knew that Marret should still be here.

Keeper it said. What has happened?

Ceaira smiled. She knew the Beast never spoke unless it sensed something was wrong. "Marret is dead, Beast," She said.

The Beast nodded. Ceaira slowly advanced on the Beast. It purred as she stroked its beautiful mane. It lay down and Ceaira settled next to it. "He wasn't my father, I know that, but he was the closest thing I had, since my father was never around."

The Beast purred. Dear Keeper, I know of who you speak. The one you call 'father' is one I called Keeper before you.

Ceaira snuggled closer. "Beast, can you tell me of my father?"

The Beast nodded and slowly shrank to his smallest size. Ceaira closed her eyes as the Beast's voice filled her mind. Your father, I sensed from the beginning that he was different from the many Keepers I have had. He talked about my death. He would tell me that he didn't want anyone else to have to suffer at my paws. He told me that no one should be forced to guard the Guardian. I wasn't too bothered with his threats, until you were born, new Keeper.

Ceaira looked up at the Beast. "How did I change this?" She asked.

Dear one, when you were born, your father was hoping you would be the red child. When you were not, he quickly gave you to your nurse and she cared for you like a mother, and then Marret treated you as a father. I know that the red one will come, but I am glad he has not come yet.

"Are you angry that I am female?"

No, Keeper. I am grateful for you. The Beast said with a purr.

"Beast, we will stop that red child from being born."

How, Dear Keeper?

"We'll stop any children from being born."

7 Years Later: 2 weeks previous to meeting Knuckles

"You know the plan?"

The Beast nodded. It still didn't like the idea of this "Master plan" but what could be done? Seven years had gone by since Ceaira had told the Beast about what she thought was the only way to protect the mutant monster. Seven years of planning and building up the guts to do it. If it worked, she could be sure that the red child of the Tribe will never be born.

"Then let's go, Beast."

Ceaira jumped on the back of the Beast and it began the walk to the village that it had not been to in over a hundred years. The plan was simple, easy and almost foolproof. How hard could it be? The plan was perfect, and it was finally time to put in action. The Beast didn't feel like this plan was good at all, but hey, it had no control in what the Keeper wanted.

The two made it to the Tribe. "You know what to do, so let's get it done."

The Beast lifted its massive head and let out its death cry. Everyone in the village halted what they were doing. Ceaira pointed to the city and the Beast ran into it. The plan was in effect. Ceaira pulled out a long spear, which she made herself, and ran after the Beast.

The plan was simple. If there was no one to give birth, then the child would not be born. Destroying the Tribe was the only solution. After no more then a minute, the Beast's jaws were covered in blood. Ceaira nodded whenever she caught its eyes and she continued. She didn't kill as many as the Beast, but she was not too far behind the Beast's massive death rate.

The creatures ran in terror from the attack. Ceaira caught a young child who had fled in her direction.

"Please, Keeper. Spare my family!" The young child begged. Ceaira smiled at the child's plea.

"Sorry, kid, but no one leaves this town," she hissed and plunged the sword through the child's stomach. He made a horrible gagging sound and when she yanked the spear out, he stared blankly as the blood pour from his middle section.

"Kill me, now," he begged, but Ceaira stood there, watching the child bleed to death. He began to pale quickly because of the critical part he was impaled. Ceaira just stood, more or less, enjoying the child's pain. It was not that she enjoyed killing, or even watching him die, it was that she knew that this was protecting the Beast.

After nearly five minutes, the child collapsed, dead, on the ground. Ceaira nodded and turned away from the body. She came face-to-face with another creature. It was the mother of the boy.

"What have you done?" The mother screamed. Without waiting for Ceaira to answer, she lunged at the Keeper. Ceaira pulled away at the last second, and tried to stab the mother with the spear. She was too slow and missed the boy's mother, swinging into empty air. Quickly recovering from the shock of not hitting anything, she searched for the mother. Suddenly, she felt hands around her neck.

In a desperate attempt to detach the mother from her neck, Ceaira fell back. All she did was knock the wind out of her attacker, but other then that, the move had been useless. Ceaira began rolling. Marret had taught her how to get out of a strangling, but this creature wasn't loosening her grip at all. Ceaira growled in frustration and stood up. She ran backwards into a tree. That did it.

The mother fell to the ground. Ceaira saw that there was blood on the tree where she had slammed the mother into it. She smiled and held up her spear. The mother looked up.

"Jessie?" Ceaira whispered with a shocked expression. She had not thought about her foster mom in the planning of this attack. "Stars above," she whispered.

Jessie didn't say anything. She knew Ceaira would spare her life, so there was no point in begging.

"Why, dear child?" Was all Jessie could say.

"I had to. I had to protect the Beast."

"You are so much like your father," Jessie said with a half smile.

"No! I am nothing like my father."

"Yes, you are. Both of you were blinded by passion towards that monster. The Guardian has done everything but guard this Tribe."

"But my father wanted the Beast dead; I am trying to save it!" Ceaira snapped.

"Child, you have been misinformed. The reason why your father gave you up wasn't because you weren't the Red child. He gave you up because he has been banned from the Tribe. Three days after your birth, Ceaira, your father was exiled. The day he handed you over to me, your father was kicked out for numerous reasons, the biggest was treason."

Ceaira stared blankly at Jessie. "Why didn't anyone tell me I'm related to a traitor?" She yelled.

"Ceaira, we didn't want you to feel rejected because of it. You are important to the Tribe, and now you have let your anger, fear and pain take over. You are no better then your father!"

Ceaira screamed and plunged the long spear through Jessie's heart. Closing her eyes, she yanked the weapon from the body and ran. On the outskirts of town, she watched the Beast destroy the rest of the village. It was gruesome, terribly gruesome. By the time the attack was over, no building was left standing and no one was left alive. Ceaira looked away, suddenly over come with nausea.

When the attack was over, the Beast shrunk to its smaller size and walked over to Jessie's body. Ceaira watched from the hill as the Beast slowly began to eat the body. Ceaira got on her hands and knees and threw up. Suddenly, she was the last of her kind. She stared at the vomit and watched as her own tears mixed in with the contents of her stomach.

Then she felt a hand on her back. She didn't look up, but she could see the feet of whoever was there. They wore black boot-like shoes. She still didn't look up from the pile of vomit.

"Child, you have done a great service, but the Red One has been born." A voice said calmly.

Ceaira looked up at the person who was there. She had never seen this man before, but she was almost certain he was human. "And you can help me?" She asked.

The man nodded. "His name is Knuckles, and I know where you can find him."