The sun was shining high in the sky. Abeke put a hand to her forehead, creating a shade for her eyes. She smiled as walls of stone appeared up ahead. She was almost there. Abeke set off again, her green cloak billowing behind her in the wind. She had come straight from Nilo as soon as she got the message. She couldn't wait until she saw Conor, Rollan and Meilin again! Uraza, who had been padding at her side, suddenly pulled ahead as the gates loomed up in front of them. Abeke caught up to spirit animal and placed a hand on her back.
"Hello!" Abeke called, waving her hand at a nearby Greencloak. The Greencloak hurried over and unlocked the gate. It was Finn.
"Abeke! It's nice to see you again!" Finn swung the gate wide as his black wildcat emerged from the shadows.
"You too, Finn." Abeke said as the Uraza leapt for Donn. Soon the two wildcats were playing. "Do you know where the others are?"
"Of course!" Finn headed towards the castle. "You are the last to arrive. Try the training area first." Donn batted Uraza away with a sheathed paw before bounding after Finn. Abeke headed into the castle, Uraza prowling beside her. As she navigated the winding halls, a rabbit appeared up ahead. Uraza dropped into a crouch, but Abeke quickly stepped in front of her leopard. She held out her hand questionably. Uraza looked at the rabbit and then at Abeke. She seemed to be thinking about it.
"Uraza," Abeke tried to keep the desperation out of her voice. "That's someone's spirit animal! Besides we will be late if you decide to go for a chase." Uraza let out a sigh before disappearing in a flash of light on Abeke's arm. Abeke headed straight to the training area, nodding at the Greencloak who had scooped up the rabbit protectively. Abeke ignored the stare and assumed that the Greencloak was new and had yet to bring her spirit animal into passive form.
"There you are!" Olvan was standing in the center with Conor, Meilin and Rollan beside him. "You took your time."
"I'm sorry," Abeke let her leopard appear in a flash of light. "We've only just arrived."
Olvan crossed his arms but said nothing as Conor, Rollan and Meilin headed over. Essix was perched on Rollan's shoulder while Briggan bounded over next to Conor. Jhi lumbered after Meilin. "Did you hear about the dream? We're looking for flying cats!" Rollan reached up to stroke Essix's feathers.
Abeke smiled and reached down to pet Uraza but Briggan pushed his head under Abeke's hand. "I did Rollan. Though I thought we are only looking for cats."
"Rollan you shouldn't tease." Meilin scolded before hugging Abeke. Conor stood off to the side as the others greeted Abeke. Abeke looked curiously at Conor.
Conor met her gaze and hesitated. Briggan stopped nuzzling and licking Abeke's hand and met Conor's gaze. Conor headed over and heled out his hand. Abeke took it and they shook hands. "It's good to see you again," Conor said.
"Now that we are all here, let's get to business." Olvan said, casting a glance at each of them. "Conor's dream told us that we have to look in northern Eura to find the wild cats."
"And how are we going to get there? Fly?" Rollan asked as Essix flew off his shoulder and onto a perch close by.
Meilin slapped him. "Do you do anything but tease?" she asked sweetly.
"Hey! That hurts!" Rollan put a hand up to his cheek and glanced at his spirit animal. "Essix can you do something?" Essix screeched in reply and preceded to preen her feathers, Abeke put a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter while Conor quickly buried his face in Briggan's fur. Even Olvan looked amused.
"Now back to the mission." Olvan said at last. "We will be taking horses as far as possible as well as a month's worth of supplies."
"Why a month's worth?" Meilin asked, resting a hand on Jhi's back. "How long are we planning to be there?"
"A while," came Olvan's vague answer. "Finn will go with you."
Conor nodded sensibly. Ever since the fight against the Devourer, Conor had taken on the role of leading the group. Though Abeke suspected the he was all too glad to let Finn take over. "Finn is perfect for this mission." Conor rubbed his shoulder. "I don't want to lead us into a trap like last time."
Abeke looked at Conor curiously. They will avoid Trunswick won't they? Rollan however burst out laughing. "That won't happen Conor! Trunswick has no Conquers now, remember?"
"Devin and his wildcat, Elda, are." Conor pointed out.
"Isn't Dawson friendly?" Abeke asked, remembering the battle of Trunswick against the Conquers.
Conor nodded, grinning. "Yep and he'll help us when he can."
"That's what I like to hear," Abeke jumped and Uraza dashed forward. Abeke held her breath as a shadow leaped from the well shadows to meet the leopard. Then Finn stepped out from the shadows with a young girl. As the two cats played and wrestled with Briggan and Jhi, a silver and white wolf followed the girl out of the shadows.
"Who is she?" Abeke was surprised to hear suspicion in Conor's voice and looked at Meilin. Meilin shrugged and looked curiously at Finn.
"This is Layla and her spirit animal…." Finn looked at the girl. "Layla, what is the name of your wolf?"
"Alieu," the brunette answered, placing a hand on the wolf's back. "Her name is Alieu."
Silence followed as the summoners of the Four Fallen looked at each other. Then Meilin stepped forward, waving a hand towards Jhi to come closer. "I am Meilin and this is my spirit animal, Jhi."
Abeke felt inclined to step forward. "I'm Abeke and this is Uraza." Abeke nodded toward her leopard, who was padding over to her.
"I'm Rollan falconmaster." Rollan had a goofy grin on his face. "And this willing falcon is Essix."
"Ignore him," Meilin said before Essix could let out a shriek as the bird flew down to land on Rollan's shoulder. She shot a glare at the Amayan. "He's far from being a falconmaster and Essix can be quite stubborn."
"Hey!" Rollan raised his hands in exasperation. He looked at his falcon. "Did you hear what she said about us?" Essix let out a screech and glared at Rollan who shut his eyes tight in pain at the closeness of the falcon's shriek. It probably was a you deserved it a little type screech. Everyone burst out laughing though it didn't last long when Rollan began to look mischievous.
"And you are?" Layla tilted her head and looked at Conor.
"Conor and this is Briggan," Conor said, resting a hand on his wolf. Alieu's ears pricked and Abeke tensed as Briggan and Alieu bounded up to each other. Uraza let out a growl and bunched her muscles as if she was going to pounce.
"Jhi!" Meilin called and held out her hand. Jhi looked at Meilin's outstretched hand and the at the wolves, who were having a stare down. Jhi disappeared in a flash of light.
Rollan held open his sister and looked at Essix questionably. Essix regarded him coldly for a moment before disappearing in a flash of light. Abeke knelt down beside Uraza. She held her arm out to the leopard. "Do you want to go in the passive state?" Uraza let out a half-hearted growl before disappearing in a flash of light. It stung but Uraza was now a mark on her arm. Finn's wildcat was also in the passive state which left Briggan and Alieu in the training area.
"Briggan, leave Alieu alone." Conor was saying to his spirit animal. "We have a mission focus on."
Briggan ignored Conor and lifted his head and tail. Alieu averted her gaze before dropping into a crouch, her tail between her legs. Briggan reached down to sniff Alieu then stepped back, dipping his head in acceptance. Alieu leapt to her paws and bounded back to Layla, who was watching with an open mouth. Briggan then disappeared and became a mark on Conor's arm.
"What happened?" Layla asked, reaching down to pet her wolf. "Why did they do that? How did you get your spirit animals into the passive state?"
Finn stepped forward and rested a hand on Layla's shoulder. "The wolves were establishing dominance." Finn had a patient smile. "As for the passive state, you need to increase your bond with Alieu before Alieu accepts it."
"Did you hear that, Alieu?" Layla asked her wolf. "We need to work on our bond." Alieu barked in reply.
"What does Layla have to do with this?" Olvan's voice was stern as he glared at Finn.
To Finn's credit he didn't flinch. "She needs the experience and she's from Trunswick." Finn said, casting a look at Conor.
Everyone looked at Olvan as he considered. Finally, Olvan looked at Finn. "Everyone has to be ready to leave by dawn," then he transferred his gaze to Conor, "including Layla."