Austin caught up and saw her. Miserable, he gently picked her up and held her in his arms.

"Uniqua, oh what have I done to you?" Austin started sobbing. "Forgive me Uniqua, forgive me."

"Austin?" Uniqua said weakly.

"Yes Uniqua, I'm here." Austin smiled

"Austin...I feel so weak. I think I'm..."

"No, You'll live Uniqua! The vow I made was for you."

"I know. I love you Austin."

Uniqua died.

"Uniqua? Uniqua! Uniqua." Austin went back to sobbing, but slowly grew angry. "I made the vow for her. Do you hear? THE VOW I MADE WAS FOR HER!"

"No need to shout." Rothbart appeared out of nowhere.

Austin turned around and angrily went over to him.

"Don't let her die!" Austin glared, grabbing Rothbart's shirt front.

"Is that a threat?" Rothbart asked dryly.

"Don't you dare let her die!"

"Oh, it is a threat." Rothbart pretended to be scared.

"You're the only one with the power, now do it!" Austin ordered.

"Only if you defeat...me."

At that, Rothbart conjured two red fireballs from his hands. He flung them at the ground, causing him to disappear in smoke. When the smoke cleared, there was a strange looking vulture in Rothbart's place! The vulture screeched.

"The Great Animal!" Austin gasped, realizing that it was Rothbart personally who killed King Garnett and kidnapped Uniqua.

The vulture screeched again. Here we could see it clearer: it looked like a vulture, except it had razor sharp teeth in its beak and compound bug eyes. The rest of the creature was just as ugly, with black feathers that looked as if they hadn't been groomed in years and feet with huge talons.

"I'm betting on the animal." Tommy said, obviously frightened.

The Great Animal flew towards Austin, obviously planning to make him its next victim.

"No! I won't let her die!" Austin glared, unsheathing his sword.

Austin swung it, cutting the Great Animal across the chest. Austin swung it again, this time sort of cutting its face - it would've been a longer cut but the beak got in the way. He swung it a third time, but this time the Great Animal grabbed his sword and broke it into pieces with one chomp! Pablo then remembered...

"The bow, Austin's bow!" Pablo quickly grabbed Tommy by the chest. "Swim to the bottom of the lake, and get the bow!"

Pablo pushed Tommy into the water. Tommy started swimming for the bow, but had a hard time finding it.

Meanwhile, the Great Animal pinned Austin to the ground, but Austin used a rock to hit the creature hard on the foot. The creature let go in pain. Austin then temporarily blinded it by tossing dirt into its eyes. As the creature attempted to remove the dirt, Austin ran, searching for something he could use for a weapon. It was too late, the creature recovered and grabbed Austin with its feet. Austin tried to break free without falling, but the creature dropped him! It then caught him in midair and flung him hard onto a tree. Before Austin could recover, the creature attacked again. The branches on the tree broke from the creature's strength, causing Austin to fall to the ground. He landed unconscious, and the creature flew in circles above him, ready to go for the kill. Luckily, Tommy managed to find the bow and unearth it from the lake bottom. He swam to the surface.

"Throw it!" Pablo waved his wings from the shore. "Oh throw it, throw it."

Tommy did, and it landed a few inches away from Austin.

"Wake up, wake up!" Morton slapped Austin's face desperately. "Hello!"

Austin woke up, saw his bow, and grabbed it.

"I'm outta here!" Morton zipped away.

Austin automatically reached for an arrow...only to realize that he didn't bring his quiver with him.

"Austin!"

"Rudy?" Austin turned towards the other side of the lake, and saw Rudy there aiming an arrow at him!

"You know what to do!" Rudy smiled, finally gaining his full courage.

Austin nodded with a smirk.

"Now!" Rudy said, releasing the arrow.

On cue, Austin caught it and strung it to his own bow. After quick aiming, he released it. The arrow hit its mark, right in the Great Animal's chest! It screeched in pain and shock, and fell into the lake. There was an explosion of magic, and the Great Creature disappeared for good. Not even Rothbart's body had been left behind. Pablo, Tommy, Morton, and Rudy cheered, but stopped when they heard Austin speak:

"Forgive me Uniqua," Austin sobbed, cradling Uniqua in his arms. "Forgive me...I only wanted to break the spell. You know I love you, your kindness and courage and sense of fun. I always had, even when we were kids."

"Austin?" Uniqua woke up.

"Uniqua!" Austin gasped happily.

"You did it." Uniqua smiled proudly.

They kissed.

"Well, there you have it." Pablo smiled. "Everlasting love."

A few days later, Austin and Uniqua were married. Hey, had to give them time to make the preparations you know. Anyway, Austin and Uniqua were now king and queen. Their cloaks were carried by Tyrone and Tasha, who had been forgiven for her involvement with Rothbart.

"Hi." Tasha smiled to Tyrone.

"Uh, hi..." Tyrone said shyly.

Tasha kissed him, and he smiled, lovestruck.

"I'm very proud of you Rudy, you've really proven yourself." Horton smiled.

"Yeah, well, I'm just glad it's all over." Rudy smiled back.

A winged creature shaped shadow covered them! They grabbed each other in terror!

"Oh honestly, it's just me." An amused female voice said.

They turned around, both startled and confused, to find Jane standing behind them. The shadow had actually been caused by the fake swan on her hat that she bought for the wedding. Rudy and Horton chuckled, embarrassed.

"May I escort you to the reception?" Horton offered his trunk.

"Oh Horton." Jane smiled affectionately, still amused, as she accepted his trunk.

"I'll meet you there later." Rudy waved after them.

Pablo had flown in swans for the wedding, and afterwards was now leading them in formation in the air.

"I don't care if everyone else does have the day off." Pablo said seriously, but with a touch of friendliness. "The prince wants a fighting air force and it's my job to get you birds in shape. You're in Pablo's army now, General Pablo."

Later that night, Uniqua, Tommy, Pablo, and Morton were outside the ballroom. It was time for Uniqua to keep her promise of giving a kiss to Tommy.

"I am ready for my kiss madam." Tommy bowed, prepared for the moment by wearing a cloak and princely hat.

"Now don't be too disappointed Tommy," Uniqua warned. "If nothing happens-"

"Finally, after all these years I shall return to my throne." Tommy interrupted, not listening.

"Don't forget to write." Morton smirked.

"You still don't believe me do you?" Tommy frowned.

"The only thing you're going to turn is red." Morton shook his head.

"Well, I'm ready Uniqua." Tommy said, deciding to ignore Morton.

Uniqua kissed him. He suddenly started twitching and flinching, and leapt into the air, and when he came back down...he looked the same.

"Voila!" Tommy said. "Well Morton, what do you have to say now?"

"Uh..." Morton tried to tell Tommy that nothing had happened, but couldn't find the right words.

"That's what I thought." Tommy said smugly. "And now if you don't mind, I've got some schmoozing to do."

He adjusted his cape as he looked at his reflection in the pond. Little did he know, the prince reflection was from a real prince behind him. The real prince left without noticing Tommy, and Tommy went inside the ballroom without seeing the real prince.

"Would you like a kiss too Morton?" Uniqua smiled.

"Nah." Morton smiled, amused by the timing between Tommy and the real prince. "I'm happy as a mouse."

"Good evening madam." Tommy bowed to a lady of the court.

The lady, not used to hippos, fainted with a scream.

"Aha, the ladies still fall for me." Tommy smiled.

Much later that night, Austin and Uniqua went through the palace garden on their own. They stopped at a bridge and gazed at each other.

"Will you love me Austin, until the day I die?" Uniqua asked.

"No, much longer that that Uniqua." Austin smiled. "Much longer."

They kissed.