AN: I don't own any of the X-Men Characters. I do own Kelpie, however, Gerri, Aunt Erika, Kelpie's foster family, the story-line, and all animal characters she converses with, including the gang members :P. Vixen belongs to one Melody S. (an ex-friend of mine), Aquifer belongs to Rob G. (soon-to-be famous fantasy writer!), Sensherak (aka Alan) belongs to an ex-online-bf whom no longer speaks to me, Jonny LeBeau belongs to an ex-online-acquaintance. Phew! If I've missed anyone, let me know :P

If any of you have read my bio, you'll know that I'm not fluent at Gaelic at all, I only know a few words and phrases. If any of you happen to know Gaelic, and I make a mistake, please, let me know, it's the only way I'm gonna learn! There are some Gaelic words in here that I've acquired through reading and such. Diolain means bastard; Mionnaich is just a curse word, with no real specific meaning. Galla means bitch; and a bhidse means sod it, which is basically our equivalent of damnit. Tha mi duilich means I'm sorry.

CHAPTER 4

1 year later…

A door slid open in the office and Wolverine and Vixen marched hurriedly through it, then walked up to a wheelchair facing away from them.

"What's up, Chuck?" Wolverine asked. He knew Professor Xavier hated that name. That's why he used it. The wheelchair spun around in a 180 degree arc to face them. Charles Xavier nodded to them.

"I have a mission for you." He picked up a remote control and, not pointing at anything in particular, pushed a button. Two chairs unfolded from the floor. "Have a seat."

They obeyed, making themselves comfortable while Charles pushed another button on the control. The doors of a cabinet in front of them opened to reveal a television set. The screen came to life and they watched as a figure--small for the camera was several hundred feet away--broke into a store and emptied the cash register then taking several items of clothing and a few items of food. Xavier paused the video. "This is your mission."

"What does a thief have to do with us?" asked Wolverine.

"Nothing, normally. But the government is blaming this one on us. Watch more closely." He unpaused the video and rewound it until the person's full body was in view. Then he paused it once more. Another button magnified the screen so they could get a good look at the robber.

"It's a mutant horse," said Vixen with some surprise.

A humanoid filled the screen. Not quite animal, not quite human. With the body of a horse yet it stood upright like a human. With the head an neck of a horse, it was pinto brown and white with a distinguishing white circle around her right eye. Strangely, where her mane was white, there was green and blue strands coursing throughout. From the neck to the knees she looked fairly human, except for only three fingers and a thumb on each hand. Each finger ended in tiny hoof-like nails. At about shin-height, it looked as if her body had decided to suddenly go back to horse form and bent back as did the fetlocks of a horse. She also had hooves, one black as coal, the other the color of slate.

Xavier nodded. "This one has been a nuisance to department and grocery stores all over the New York area." He pushed yet another button and a wall slid up, pushing out a metal table. Pieces of the tabletop reshaped themselves into a form of a map. Another button lit up several red dots all over New York State, some in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont. "Every red dot is a store she's robbed. Never a big store, just those without sufficient security systems. The only time she has wavered was a pawn shop. She stole two antique throwing knives and an antique ring with a dagger hidden inside. Neither, so the owner said, were for sale." He gestured to the TV. "Lucky for us, we have technology that we used to convert this tape into color instead of black and white so we know exactly what she looks like. But, then again, it's not easy to miss a horse humanoid."

Wolverine was now standing by the map, Xavier at his side. His arms were folded across his chest as he studied the map. Vixen was examining the blown-up picture on the television screen.

"How many years has this been going on?" Wolverine asked.

"So far as we can tell, about a year. Her first sighting was in a small neighborhood in New York City last May. There was one four-week period where she showed no activity, then suddenly hit another store."

"She works pretty fast then. A store every week?"

Xavier nodded. "Pretty much."

Vixen picked up the remote, "Do you mind?" she asked.

"No, go right ahead."

"How do I focus on one area?"

"Touch the screen and zoom in."

Vixen touched the humanoid's eye and box formed around it. She pushed a button until they could see the eye clearly. "Wolverine, look."

Wolverine turned and looked at the screen. The eyes changed colors almost every second. Even while the tape was paused, they changed. Different shades of blue. "Check the leg," he said stiffly.

Vixen zoomed out and touched the upper left thigh. A box formed around it and she zoomed in. An angry scar, where no horsehair had grown, filled the screen.

"Looks like a knife wound," commented Xavier.

"It is," said Vixen, looking at Wolverine.

"She's the kid we told ya about we caught last May," Wolverine said angrily.

"You neglected to tell me that she was a mutated horse."

"At the time, she wasn't," said Vixen, "Just her right foot and leg up to the knee had mutated."

"Interesting. Either way, I've located her position with Cerebro. She's in Manhattan. I want you to bring her here before the humans decide to take matters into their own hands. And as we know, that is never a good thing."

"Should be easy," said Vixn.

Wolverine nodded, "Just follow the sirens and security alarms." In unison they hurried out the door and it slid close behind them. Several minutes later, the sound of two motorcycles reached Xavier's ears.

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Kelpie approached the small department/grocery store and cursed the sound her hooves made on the pavement. She had wanted to wait to rob a store later, but Ra had been getting hungry once again and had ate her sweatshirt and torn up her brand new jeans.

Her brown and white skin quivered as the cool breeze brushed against her. Thanks to Ra, all she wore were cut-off shorts and her sky-blue tank top.

Slipping her glasscutter out of her pocket, she placed it on the glass and cut a circle large enough for her arm. She slipped her arm inside and unlocked the door then preceded inside. She grabbed another pair of jeans and a grey sweatshirt, slipping the latter over her head as she went. She dashed over to the meats area and grabbed several packages of chicken then hurried over to the cash register, punching in the code. It popped open and she started taking cash out. She jumped as an alarm went off and, swearing, emptied the cash register into her bag and hurried out of the store.

Squad cars raced around a corner and spotted her. She willed fog to appear and the sudden development of the misty clouds slowed the cars down. She wasted no time in making her escape.

She galloped around a corner and was about to cross the street when two motorcycles burst out of an alley and surrounded her on both sides.

Vixen folded her arms across her chest. "Ya still haven't grasped the concept that stealin' is illegal, have ya?"

Kelpie groaned. "Dunna ye two 'ave lives?"

"We would if you would learn to stay outta trouble," said Wolverine. "Get on."

"Like 'ell--"

She was cut off by the squealing of tires and wails of the sirens as the squad cars slid into view, clearing the fog.

"Choose, kid," said Vixen. "Jail, or us?"

Growling an epithet, Kelpie threw her leg over Vixen's bike and they sped away, tires screeching.

"Where we goin'?" Kelpie asked Vixen over the sound of the motorcycle.

"Westchester. We're taking you to see Professor Xavier."

"Whoa, 'ey, wait. Ye might as well let me off this bike right now, 'cause there ain't no way in 'ell I'm gonna see a shrink."

"He ain't a shrink. He's a teacher. Xavier runs a school. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester. He can help you."

"So 'e can cure me? Wit'out cuttin' me open?"

"No one's gonna cut you open, but Xavier can't cure you, either. Nobody can. But he can help you control your powers."

Kelpie's eyes widened, suddenly remembering. My garden! Ra! "Stop! I've gotta go back--"

"Already gotcha." Vixen's bike swerved around and stopped as Wolverine's bike pulled up next to hers.

"What's the deal?" he asked.

"I left my garden and friends be'ind. I gotta go ge' them."

"Exactly where do you expect to put them? Do you see built-in greenhouses on these bikes? Or extra seats for that matter?"

"Nae, dunna worry. I can carry them."

Wolverine sighed with impatience. "Fine, but ya better make it snappy."

Kelpie led them back to her abandoned alley and they stopped the bikes.

Swinging his leg over the bike, Wolverine said, "Ya try any escape tricks and I'll knock ya out and bring ya to Westchester by force. Without your garden."

Kelpie nodded and disappeared into the alley. Wolverine and Vixen followed.

Vixen's eyes widened as the darkness cleared and they stepped onto a path. It's like walkin' into a rainforest, she thought. It's much bigger than the last one, too.

Vines, flowers, every vegetation imaginable, but only one tree. The baobab tree stood in the center of the garden. The path they stood on led up to the tree and circled around it.

Catching a glance at the tree, both Wolverine and Vixen ducked just in time to avoid two feet full of talons that was hurled at them. Vixen's sais and Wolverine's claws came out and they crouched in defensive mode.

"It's okay," came Kelpie's voice as she stepped out of the small forest and onto the path. The bird--a peregrine falcon--swooped past their heads once more and landed on her shoulder. "This is Ra. Ra, this is Wolverine and Vixen."

"Ya neglected to tell us one of your friends was an aggressive chicken," growled Wolverine.

Kelpie shrugged. "Ye dinna ask."

The falcon, studying Wolverine with her head cocked, screeched and Kelpie placed a hand over her mouth to cover her laugh. Wolverine gave the bird a death glare, understanding what the falcon had said. How he could understand Ra evaded Kelpies knowledge, but she didn't ask.

"What?" Vixen asked.

Grinning, Kelpie gestured to Wolverine. "Ra wants to know what disorderly bird sat in his hair. She would like to give it tips on a more organized nest."

Wolverine looked at Vixen with a mischievous grin. "Care to have fried chicken tonight? I think I've found the perfect bird." He glared at Ra, his eyes shining with malice.

Ra screeched again, ruffling her feathers and flew to the cover of the baobab tree. Huffing, she fluffed her feathers, pinning an eye on Wolverine.

"Oh, come now, Ra," said Kelpie giggling. "Stop yer sulkin'. Ye did deserve i'."

Ra shook herself and uttered a small screech.

Kelpie shrugged. "Fine, then, be that way." She turned her gaze on Wolverine and Vixen. "She's usually no' so grouchy, I'm sorry."

Vixen stole a glance at Wolverine. "Sounds like someone else I know."

Wolverine gave her a sarcastic smile. "Bite me."

Vixen winked. "Later."

Wolverine's eyebrow rose. "Ya know I'm gonna keep ya to that tonight."

Kelpie rolled her eyes. "Mionnaich, ye two, getta room."

"Gladly," Vixen purred, leaning into Wolverine's arm and lifting her face to his. Growling deep in his throat, he kissed her long and hard.

Kelpie turned away groaning. "Ye two are gross. I'll be back as soon as I gather me gar'en. Oh, an' dunna worry bout havin' tae watch for anyone, the apar'men's surroundin' this place are abandoned." When Kelpie sat down underneath the baobab tree and looked up, Vixen and Wolverine were gone. She shook her head. "Jus' like rabbits. I swear, makes me sick."

Closing her eyes, she placed her palms down on the ground next to her. Centering herself, she reached for the root of every plant and a tingling started in her fingers. Around her, the plants seemed to grow shorter and shorter, then disappeared into the ground altogether. When the last plant had been gathered, she turned her attention to the baobab tree that still stood, untouched. She placed her hands on the great roots that protruded from the ground and took a deep breath, once more closing her eyes. The enormous tree grew smaller and smaller, younger and younger, until it was nothing but a sapling. Then, it too, disappeared.

Kelpie sagged to the ground and lay there, regaining her strength. Had anyone been watching, it would have appeared that she banished the flora back into the earth, but in actuality, she had brought each seedling back into her very body where they had originated.

Shaking her head slightly to clear it, she sat up and stood, somewhat unsteadily. Ra flew from her perch on the roof of the building behind Kelpie and landed on her shoulder. She screeched as she settled, saying, You could have warned me that the tree was going to disappear out from under my feathers.

Kelpie smiled apologetically. Tha mi duilich, Ra. I dinna ken ye were still in the tree.

Ra fluffed her feathers importantly. Well now you do.

Mionnaich, ye almos' as bad as those two in there, Kelpie said, jerking her head in the direction of the abandoned building she assumed the two had disappeared into.

"I resent being compared to a bird," came Wolverine's voice. "Especially that one."

Ra puffed out her chest and let out an ear-shattering screech.

Kelpie rubbed her ear. I ken ye 'ate the man, Ra, bu' I wish ye wouldna do tha' in me ear. She gestured to Wolverine. Go screech in 'is.

Wolverine's claws came out and he held up one hand, showing them off. "Don't ya dare. Not unless ya wanna be my next meal.

Ra's feathers rustled as she shook herself.

"Sides," Wolverine said smirking, "I get enough of that from her." He pointed at Vixen.

Vixen punched him in the arm. "Make one more retort about our sex life and you'll be finding yourself down on the couch tonight."

Wolverine chuckled, his eyes shining. "I wasn't talkin' 'bout our sex life that time, but now that ya mention it, yeah, I guess ya screech then, too."

Glaring away from Wolverine, Vixen realized that the garden around them was gone. "Where'd the plants go?"

"I put 'em away," said Kelpie, placing her hand over her heart. "They're in 'ere."

Wolverine's eyebrow rose. "Exactly how does all that stuff fit in you?"

Kelpie shrugged. "I dunno. I jus' know they're in there 'til I let 'em back out to grow elsewhere."

"Ya think ya've heard it all," muttered Wolverine, "Well, let's get movin'. If we hurry, we can make the school by dawn."

Where are we going? asked Ra.

Some school, Kelpie replied as she held her arm out to transfer Ra from her shoulder. Ye can fallow along be'ind the bikes.

"She may not be able to keep up," said Wolverine. "Not that it wouldn't be a good thing."

"Ye'd be surprised 'ow fas' she can fly when she wan's tae. 'Er 'eart is connected tae mine. Doesna matter 'ow fas' I'm goin', she will keep up. If I'm in a vehicle goin' a hundred miles an hour, she can keep up."

"Yes, but we'll be goin' much faster than that," said Vixen.

"Dunna worry. She'll keep up."

"Fine, whatever," said Wolverine. "Can we just get goin'?"

As they left the alley and Kelpie got on behind Vixen, Wolverine happened to look over at her and asked, "What's that?" indicating her wrist. Kelpie looked down and saw she meant her 'tattoo'. She looked back up at him and asked, "Dunna ye know wha' a tattoo is when ye see un?"

He studied the tattoo for a moment. It was a picture of several vines wrapped in an intricate Celtic-looking design that ran up to her elbow. "How'd ya get it? Lookin' as ya are, I mean? I didn't see it on ya last year."

Kelpie shrugged, smirking. "Tha's me secret." Actually, thought Kelpie, she couldn't remember how she got the tattoo. She'd woken up one morning and found that she was missing a whole month from her memory and a tattoo wrapped around her arm. Ra couldn't seem to remember either.

Ra did keep up after all, even when both had pushed the hyper-speed buttons. They couldn't see her very well, but they knew she was there…

To prove she was keeping up with eas, she sent a big white blob of a present down to Wolverine. Unfortunately, it landed on the shoulder of his leather jacket.

"Damn fuckin' bird!" Wolverine shouted up to the falcon, shaking his fist at the flying figure. Very faintly, they could hear the laughing screeches come from Ra high above.

Ye betta knock it off, Ra, or 'e might make good on 'is threat.

He'd have to catch me first, Ra chuckled.

Kelpie shook her head, sighing. There was no use arguing with her. She may be smarter than the average falcon, but she was as stubborn as an ox.

I heard that.