Guess what! I'm NOT dead! Sorry about the wait, I just haven't been feeling well, school hates me, and I haven't had any inspiration for this story in a while. But low and behold, I have crawled out of the dark pit of homework and non-inspiration just for you guys!

So, a couple of points, this story will only flash between James, Hunter, and Shade POV. If you want to have another characters POV chapter, just put it in a review and I will do the best I can!

Also, the updates on Kitsune will slow considerably due to homework, swim, convincing my mom to let me have piano lessons, all that good stuff. I have been seriously weighed down by work and I have had a bad cold for the past god knows how long, so I really haven't been able to just sit down and write for a long time. So, yea. Updates will be far and few in between. OH! And I'm going to Harry Potter World-Universal- and Disney in the same week- next week- so no updates then. Sorry!

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has stuck with this story for so long. I'm really sorry about the slow development, but when I started, I really had no idea where this was going. It was honestly only a story to pass time and hopefully finish just for the feeling of accomplishment. But you guys really helped me pull this into something bigger, so once again, THANK YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH!

Now, enough with my ramblings, here is the real thing you clicked this link for!

Shade POV:

I paced the length of James's front room once again, deep in thought. What was that thing that attacked us, what did it want, and why on earth was it's weakness breath mints, of all things?

These thoughts circled my head over and over, never ending, never relenting. It was really frustrating, and it made me want to pull out my hair. But, that would hurt and it would be pretty hard to do with a broken limb.

I glared down at the useless limb as if it were responsible for everything that happened. It wasn't, obviously, it was all Ibles's fault. Wait… Ibles! Of course! Why did I not think of that before?

Ibles was the monster we had to defeat, and he knew this. He doesn't want to die, not yet, and so, he must have sent out those demons! It really couldn't have been anything else. The enemy wants us gone…

And speaking of enemies, Hunter had gone and made Fireclan even angrier with us than before. Soon, they would send out their team, and we would meet in a battle. "I really don't know if we have manpower to stop them…" I muttered to myself quietly.

"Stop who?" Came a voice from my right. I spun on my heel to see Vector walk in the room. Hmm… Vector was better at things like this than me, so he would be able to help.

"Fireclan's team. I mean, sure. We have been neck and neck with them for the longest time, but with Hunter, Adian, Sky, and James out of commotion and me and you with broken limbs"- I gestured to my arm and his leg- "We really don't stand a fighting chance." I finished limply, arm falling to my side once again.

Vector limped over with the help of his crutch and sat down on the chair opposite me. He crossed his legs and put his head in his hand, going into thinking mode. "Well, we will definitely need to move, and fast, if we want to throw them off our trail any. But other than that, all we can do is heal as fast as possible, train James to make sure he isn't completely defenseless, and improve ourselves. Not much else can be done, really." He leaned back in the chair and looked at the ceiling.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. I was suddenly feeling bone weary and tired. My eyelids felt like they had lead weights attached to them and there was so much pressing down on my mind, it seemed like it was never going to end.

My strong façade dropping, I sat down heavily and dropped my face into the cups my hands made. I heard the shuffling of cloth and the couch dipped down in response to the added weight. I felt a warm had rub soothing circles on my back. "Calm down, Shade." Vector said softly. "You don't have to do everything around here. We're here to help. I'm here."

I looked up and gave him a soft smile, tired eyes locking with his lively ones.

I sat up rubbed my eyes. We stood and I gave him a hug. "Thanks, Vector. Really." I said, poring all of my sincerity into those 3 words. He hugged me back and laughed. "That's what I'm here for, right?"

"Hey, lovebirds! Dinner!" A new voice shouted, filled with amusement.

Vector and I sprang apart, red faced and sputtering. I turned around to see Hunter and James, James supporting Hunter. I scrunched my face, looking at them. "Oh, are we the lovebirds?" I took pleasure in the nice hue of red they both turned.

Hunter turned her head, struggling to fight off the blush on her pale cheeks. "Well, dinners ready, so if you want to eat…" She trailed off. I shuddered. "I'm not even looking at something you cooked." I stated firmly.

Hunter pouted. "My cooking skills aren't that bad… Besides, I didn't cook it. Sky did."

"Uh, yea, they are that bad. But Sky can cook decant food, so hear ye, hear ye!" I shouted raising my fists. I realized that as soon as Hunter and James came in, my façade slipped back on, and I was no longer tired. I smiled-a real, genuine smile- and followed Hunter and James, only pausing to grab Vector's hand and pull him along with us.

%*%

After we ate, Adian brought up the long-awaited question.

"Well, what now?" He asked. Hunter stopped shoveling food in her mouth and thought about the question. "Hmm… I really don't know." And she promptly returned to inhaling her food.

I leaned forward onto the tabletop. "Well, Vector and I were talking about that earlier, and we deiced that we have to leave James's house and move on. Now, not only do we have those monster things, but also Fireclan's team on our trail, thanks to a certain someone." I sent a pointed look to Hunter, who had the decency to look sheepish.

"We will have to train James," I continued, looking at James, who had looked over like a deer in headlights. "Because right now, he's a complete weakling. Fireclan knows this, so they will aim for him."

"Me?" James squeaked. I nodded in confirmation. "Yep. You."

James was suddenly looking very pale.

"You know, I really never wanted any part of this, so why don't you just leave me here and go by yourselves?"

"Because Fireclan knows about you, and will no doubt go after you. You kind of are the source of all their problems."

"Well that's comforting."

"It wasn't supposed to be." I looked at him strangely. He face faulted. "That was sarcasm." He muttered, palm meeting face with a resounding smack.

"Oh. I knew that."

"Of course you did."

"AND WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

"IT MEANS YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"

"WHAY DON'T YOU COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE!"

"I JUST DID!"

"WHY YOU-"

"GUYS! We don't have time for this! Good god, you argue more than Adian and me! And we're siblings!" Hunter shouted. "Man, they could be long-lost family with the way they get along." She added, rubbing her temples.

James and I turned away stubbornly, refusing to apologize to each other. Sky said something about going to pack what few belongings she had brought with and walked away, Adian following soon after.

Hunter, Vector, James, and I stayed a little longer, just talking and arguing and laughing while we could before we too went to pack.

I walked into the room I was borrowing and grabbed my Katanas. I looked around and saw a flash of gold that grabbed my attention. I walked over to the place I saw the flash and bent down on my knees. It was a gold necklace, a little flaming torch pendent dangling in the middle. I recognized it as one of the things I had managed to snatch from my old room before Hunter pulled me out.

I clasped it around my neck to hang and I tucked it under my shirt. It was one of the only things I have remaining of my childhood before Hunter and the others. I shook my head, as if dispelling cobwebs and trotted out of the room, head held high. I refused to let my past weigh me down anymore. I was a new person, come what may, and I was going to face the day with everything I have, past be damned.

I walked to the door and was soon joined by Hunter, James, Vector, Sky and Adian. We walked out of the house, ready to face anything.

%*%

"Uggghh! My feet hurt! And I'm being eaten alive by mosquitoes! Why did we not bring any bug spray! What are we, idiots?" James complained yet again.

"No, but pretty soon you will be James-on-a-stick if you don't shut up now." I threatened, glowering at him, one hand resting on my white Katana.

He gulped and shut up.

You know what? Forget what I said about being ready to take on anything. We weren't ready to take on a fly.

This is going to be one painful trip.

All done! So, this was a fluffy chapter, filled with fluff and not a lot of dark themes. But, we got a small look at Shade's past yet again, this time through a necklace, even if it was small and almost non-existent… But, hey, I was in a happy mood when I wrote the end of this! And I was in a very fluffy mood when I wrote the beginnings of this chapter!

So, parings. I'm thinking ShadexVector, HunterxJames, and SkyxAdian! Please tell me what you think about this in your reviews! (Kayla-San, please don't kill me!)

Praise is welcome, constructive criticism enjoyed, and flames are ignored! Thanks for reading!