Odette's happiness was somewhat halted when two days after the wedding. She'd been walking outside. It was cold, snowing lightly. It had been late fall two months ago when she assumed the throne. She'd never been really fond of winter, but the way it fell in Elmswell made it feel special. She liked it.

The feeling was gone when she saw that Fiera and Angel were back with very anxious expressions on their faces. They weren't supposed to be back from their honeymoon for a week. When Odette mentioned this, they only became more restless.

"We know," Fiera said, "but there's something out there."

"Something out there?" Odette asked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said. Something is wrong out there."

"Odette, have you noticed that it feels familiar and good to be around other Guardians?" Angel asked, hoping to help Odette understand what they were trying to say.

"Yes," she replied.

"Well, this was different. It was familiar, but definitely not good. Something was seriously wrong out there."

"Is it in the city?" Odette asked, now understanding their concern.

"No. Everything in Elmswell is fine, thankfully," Fiera replied. "But it's when we leave. That's when we feel it."

"Has anyone else said anything?"

"No. No one's noticed."

"Noticed what?" Derek asked as he walked up, immediately concerned by the looks on everyone's faces, not to mention the fact that Fiera and Angel weren't even supposed to be back.

"There's something in the woods, Derek," Angel said soberly. They'd become good friends just as Odette and Fiera had.

"Something? Like what?"

"Like a Guardian, only not," Fiera explained as best she could. "Whatever it is, I know it is evil. It's wrong."

"Maybe it's a demon," Derek offered. It would make sense, but then again, why would they make such a fuss over it?

"No, it's not," Fiera said, shaking her head. "I would know, and that was definitely no demon. It was too… tainted. A demon is almost pure evil. A Guardian is almost pure good. And humans fall somewhere in between. There are always exceptions to the rules, but I'm making a generalization. Anyway, this being, whatever it was, felt like it was a mixed version of one or another. It didn't fall under any category, but it was definitely wrong."

"Derek, why don't you and I go look for it?" Angel suggested. "Maybe we could get some clues that way. We'll go alone so we don't call attention to ourselves."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Derek agreed.

"Wait a minute," Odette broke in. "I'm not some helpless person anymore. And Fiera never has been anything other than strong and brave. Why do we have to stay here?"

Fiera grinned. "Odette, they're the best hunters. I'm not a great tracker, and you've never even tried. Don't you think it'd be best if they went alone?"

Odette's face flushed with embarrassment. She'd just thrown a tantrum for nothing at all. She felt so silly and immature. "You're right, Fiera. Sorry Angel and Derek."

"It's nothing," Angel said smoothly, waving his hand to show its unimportance.

Derek smiled. "It's my fault. I guess I do shelter you too much." He laughed. "But I haven't heard you talk like that since we were about twelve years old."

XxX

Derek and Angel were quiet as the night itself as they trekked the forest, looking for any trace of the mystery creature Angel and Fiera had described. The only audible sounds were the crunching of their feet on the snow covered ground. If it weren't for the circumstances, Derek would have found it pretty. But as he looked around, he could find no trace of anything being wrong. This perturbed Angel. He knew there was something seriously wrong, but he couldn't find it to stop it.

Just then, they heard something moving toward them, clumsily crashing through the forest. Derek drew his sword from its sheath, waiting for whatever it was. And then he heard the sound of familiar arguing.

"I can't believe I followed you all the way out here," one voice, that of an older man said.

"Well I –uh I thought we were going to look everywhere," the other one stammered out. Derek smiled in anticipation. Angel relaxed himself, seeing that Derek was happy about something.

Before Angel could ask what is was, two figures crashed through the trees to where Derek and Angel were standing.

"Bromley, Rogers!" Derek exclaimed, immediately walking over to greet them. They at first seemed confused by Derek's presences, then happy. They rushed over to him, but stopped when they got a good look at his face.

He looked so different. His face hadn't really changed much, but it was definitely more angular and his features were stronger. He seemed taller too, and more athletic – as if that was possible. His hair wasn't so symmetrically cut anymore. Instead, it was the same length, but just fell wherever it pleased. It made him look younger. But when they saw his eyes, he looked wiser, more so than even Rogers, who had seen many years on earth.

When Derek saw his old friends, he noticed they didn't change much at all. Bromley was still bumbling and foolish, but well meaning. And Rogers was still wise and sarcastic. But Derek did notice they looked scared to death.

"Something wrong, fellows?" Derek asked smoothly.

"Derek, we've looked everywhere for you," Rogers said, partly in annoyance, partly in relief. "That's why we're all the way out here. Everyone's been worried about you and Odette.

"I haven't been gone that long," Derek defended.

"It's been two months."

"Oh. Wow." Derek truly had not noticed the passing of time. He had a Guardian's lifespan, which was more than a few hundred years. Two months was nothing to him.

"Yes, wow," Rogers continued his lecture. "Do you know how things have been since you've been gone, Derek? Everything's been completely upside-down and"

He was just about to throw a fit before Angel cut him off. "Do you mind showing a little more respect for the king?" he asked, his voice very calm and fluid.

"King?" Rogers echoed in awe. Bromley dropped into a bow, looking ridiculous and clumsy as he did so.

"Come on, guys, knock it off," Derek said quickly, hoping to spare them some embarrassment. "And don't worry about respect, Angel. They're my friends. I've been knowing them all my life."

Angel nodded. "Sorry, Derek, I was just making sure they knew." He was smiling slyly, making it known that he was trying to impress Rogers and Bromley and taking pride in the fact that it worked.

"You're sounding like Fiera already," Derek muttered. He then turned to address Rogers and Bromley. "Why don't you come back with us? We can talk where it's not so cold." Truly, the cold didn't bother him. And it probably didn't bother Angel. But Derek wanted to talk to his old friends without worrying about whatever was giving Angel and Fiera bad vibes earlier attacking them.

So, they all went back. Odette and Fiera, who had been waiting and training, were surprised to see them returning so soon. Odette was even more surprised to see Rogers and Bromley. She hadn't really missed them. They were more Derek's friends than hers. Of course, they'd been polite to her, but she'd never really paid attention or gone out of her way to talk to them, like she was now doing with Fiera on a daily basis.

"Odette!" Rogers and Bromley exclaimed when they her. She too looked different. She was even prettier than they remembered, and she looked about a thousand times stronger. She was wearing pants and there was a sword swinging proudly at her side. How could she not look different to them? She asked herself this when she wondered why they were looking at her as if she was crazy.

"Rogers, Bromley," she greeted them politely, smiling a little for added I'm-not-crazy-things-are-just-different effect. She walked over to them, Fiera following loyally behind, smiling politely as well. Instead of staying by Odette, however, she took a place by Angel, who put his arm around her.

"Hi-hi Odette," Bromley stammered out. Odette was amused to see his speech hadn't really improved in her absence.

"We need to talk, Derek," Rogers said after saying a short, yet still respectful 'hello' to Odette.

"Then let's talk," Derek said. He led them back to the room that had been previously used for the Elder's Council, which had been the governing body in Elmswell when Odette's mother, Queen Cassandra, had disappeared. Upon her arrival, Odette had dismantled the council when she took her place as the rightful queen of Elmswell, much to the pleasure of the Guardians who were not on the council.

They sat down, with Odette at the head of the table, with Derek to her right and Fiera at her normal place to Odette's left. Rogers and Bromley were surprised to see things organized the way they were – they weren't used to Odette being so confident and in charge. Derek gave them the short version of what had passed since their arrival in Elmswell. Needless to say, they were impressed.

"So, that brings us to you two," Odette said, her newfound regal voice ringing throughout the room.

"Well, something has happened at Swan Lake," Rogers explained calmly. However, his controlled speaking was shattered when Bromley interrupted.

"Some evil witch lady has taken over the castle!"

Rogers shot him a dirty glance before speaking. "She calls herself Leda."

Derek nearly choked.

"Well, hell," Fiera muttered.

"That about sums it up," Odette agreed.