"Kill her. Kill Faolan Wolfsbane," the Commander said, his voice cold, and aloof. Faolan felt a moment's additional pain that she would leave the world under such dark circumstances… But hadn't she always known she would die in this war? That her dream of living a long life with Raleigh was just that- a dream? She wanted to sink into Raleigh's arms right now… be with him and have him tell her everything was all right, everything was safe and happy and good… But it wasn't.

"Raleigh," she whispered, waiting for death to come.

"NO!" there was another shout, and a whoosh of cold air as the tent opened. Faolan heard someone stumble in- all of this as if it was from very far away. She hardly noticed. She was waiting, ready, to go to the Havens. She was sick of this horrible, sad life… She had done her best, and now it was time to spend a time in death that she didn't get between this life and Carry…

I'm sorry Raleigh, she thought, I wanted to come back to you…

"I'll try it! I'll try her idea!"

"Who the hell are you?"

"I don't want to fight anymore! I want there to be another way! I heard what Faolan said… I want to try it."

Faolan cracked her eyes open. So apparently she wasn't to die this instant. Peering blurrily around the tent, she recognized, to her surprise, Taryn. When had she come to the front? What was she doing here? How had she known she was here…?

"Go back to your tent and group," the Commander said fiercely, "You are misinformed. This spy here has not found a way to true control. There is no other way!"

"Is…" Faolan mumbled, using all her strength to get that one word out. But no one heard.

"What if there is?" Taryn demanded- Faolan heard the sounds of a tussle and suspected Dashiell was trying to throw her out. There was some snarling as well- as if the two were both half Changed.

"Come on!" Taryn was yelling, and growling, "WHAT IF THERE IS ANOTHER WAY?"

Suddenly Faolan, who had sunk back into her own mind, felt herself being pulled up to her feet. There was a slap across her face she barely felt, and claw like fingers digging into her arms. Then a voice- Taryn's- whispering into her ear. Softly. Warmly. Faolan, in her half mad state, was drawn to that voice.

"Tell me how to do it… is there another way?"

"Yes," Faolan answered, feeling herself coming back a little more again. Her eyes cracked open once more. It appeared it was the Commander holding her up- Dashiell was sulking in the corner, three red scratches across his face. Taryn stood in front of her, close.

"Then tell me," Taryn said, "Tell me, so we can end the war."

"Okay," Faolan said, and took a deep breath. She took her weight upon herself and straightened up, blocking everything from her mind except how to gain true control. She felt surprisingly aware, and sane… opposed to the craziness of the moments before.

"What do I need to do?" Taryn asked. Faolan looked at her, then reached out and pulled her into a hug, embracing her tightly.

Then she turned to the Commander and said, "I need a place we will not be disturbed."

"Here is that place," he answered, then added, "Dashiell- leave."

The Commander turned then, and left the tent, ushering Dashiell out before him, then returned a few moments and said, "We will not be disturbed."

"I also need a Healer," Faolan said, "Or whatever Karsite Shaman you have."

Taryn gave her a concerned look, but otherwise said nothing. Faolan ignored her for the time being, and waited, as the Commander left once more. In about ten minutes the Commander returned- a Karsite wearing the red robes of a Priest tailing behind him and looking as if he had just been awakened from a sleep.

Faolan turned to the Priest, shoving some hair from her face- she hadn't anything to tie it back with, and so it hung around her face, tangly and messy. After a few moments of conversation he left, then returned- to the puzzlement of Taryn and the Commander, with a specific drug that Faolan had requested from him. It wasn't used much for healing properties, so Faolan wasn't sure if he'd have it or not- but luck was with her, because he did.

"Eat," Faolan commanded, pushing a small pouch that the Karsite Priest had handed her, to Taryn. She waited while Taryn emptied the contents of the pouch, barely noticing as the Commander ushered the Priest out.

"I will need ropes," Faolan said to the Commander, and he nodded, disappearing once more. In time that seemed to pass in an eye blink, he returned, carrying a coil of rope. Faolan took it, and motioned to Taryn, then quickly bound the girl's hands together, and then her feet, such that she could barely move them.

"Now," Faolan said, "We will let the madness take you."

Silence filled the tent. Faolan realized she could acutely hear the breathing of herself, Taryn, and the Commander. She sat down, pulling the furs around her tightly. It hardly registered in her mind that upon the success of this experiment rested her life. She didn't care. She was dead already. Nothing mattered but ending the war.

"Breath slowly," she instructed to the bound and slightly frightened Taryn, "Let yourself fall into a meditative trance and do not fight any thoughts or images that come to you. Let yourself flow with them. In a few minutes, I'm going to start instructing you to think of certain things, to imagine certain things. Are you scared?"

"Yes," Taryn answered softly. Her eyes were closed and she sat, relaxed despite her bindings. Her hair was still kept short, and just dusted the tips of her ears. Faolan wondered if her eyes still had that almost reddish tint they had when they were kids. She wondered if Taryn still liked to wrestle. But it hadn't been that long since she'd left… why did it feel like so much longer?

"Good," Faolan said, "You should be. Because you are about to release your inner self- the wild one, that lives in the back of your mind, the one that makes your dreams… and the one that would be called Madness if you were not a werewolf. All werewolves are insane. But we have learned to control that insanity, and we have learned not to cross that line. Tonight is the day you learn why you shouldn't cross that line. In order to do that… you must cross the line. There is a chance you might not come back."

Taryn did not answer, just kept keeping herself in trance. But Faolan's words had not asked for an answer. The younger girl watched Taryn for a moment longer, trying to judge without the use of her Gifts if Taryn was ready. The older girl's eyes were starting to move around, flick rapidly under her eye lids- before they had been more quiet… Now was the time. Faolan felt no fear.

"I want you to think of the last nightmare you had," Faolan said, "Bring it up in your memory, bring up the fear. Why was it so terrifying? Think on that- then think on this… it was real."

Taryn's breath came in a little quicker, and Faolan glanced up at the Commander and said softly, "I may need you in wolf form- Taryn might get a little wild before this is done," Faolan said.

She watched Taryn closely, looking for telltale signs. Waiting. She waited what felt like forever, and yet at the same time, time seemed not to move at all. The only movement was the flickering of firelight on the walls of the tent. Then Taryn slumped slightly, her head dropped onto her chest, her breathing slowed. Her fingers relaxed. She was ready.

"Remember that nightmare?" Faolan whispered, scooting closer to Taryn, "Think of it again. Wrap yourself in it. Bring it back to life. What are your worst fears? They are happening. What are your greatest hates? They are before you."

Taryn's eyes flickered open- a reflex, no more. Faolan could tell instantly that the girl was not seeing this world. Her eyes darted around, moving from random space to random space. She heard the Commander move slightly, and sensed his emotions changing, but ignored him. Her attention was on Taryn. Now was the critical moment- now was when Faolan would see if her idea really worked.

"Taryn…" she said softly, "I think you can see the Madness now. You've always known it was there- haven't you? But this little exercise we're doing has brought it into clarity, hasn't it? It's right there. Can you see it Taryn? Can you see over the edge- to what would happen if you went there?"

Taryn didn't answer, but her arms tensed against her bonds and her eyes rolled upwards, unseeing, and her teeth clenched together. Faolan knew Taryn had heard, and knew Taryn was standing before that line- driven not by her powerful emotions, but driven by diving into where those emotions resided, looking at them and bringing them forth. Now was the test- to see if one could voluntarily go over that line without the aid of real stress. If one could be made to be intensely aware of that line… could you push yourself over? Faolan though, and hoped, that you could.

"Go over the line, Taryn," Faolan hissed, "Funnel yourself towards it, let yourself be drawn over it. Go."

Taryn's hands clenched into claws and fur sprang up over her body as she Changed- and then suddenly Faolan saw it happen. A low shudder went through Taryn's body, and even with her shields up Faolan could feel the emotion that rippled through the girl's body- far more powerful than the normal emotions of a human. Faolan jumped to her feet as Taryn let out a horrible snarl, her face elongating into the snout of a wolf.

"What's wrong?" the Commander asked as Faolan bumped into him in her backing up. His voice held an edge of fear- and looking at Taryn, Faolan couldn't help but feel afraid as well. There was a terrible glint in her eye as she Changed- and Fao knew once the Change was complete she would rip the ropes from herself in moments.

"She's done it," Fao whispered, "She's gone over."

"Will the ropes hold?" the Commander asked, staring at the bonds that looked puny in front of the red glare in Taryn's eyes. Their was a beast hiding behind those eyes, waiting for the Change to be complete to rip forth. Faolan shivered.

"I don't know," she whispered in answer, then said, "Get more rope."

"I am not leaving," the Commander growled, and Faolan looked over her shoulder at the Commander- he was partly Changed, but Faolan could tell he wasn't going all the way. There was the soft sound of a sharp blade on leather, and Faolan watched as the Commander drew his sword.

At Faolan's alarmed look, he said, "One does not gain true control just by losing it. She has to come back now. If she does not…"

He left it hang, and Faolan felt a thrill of fear. Every true control tale she knew involved a coming back- she had come back, Morgan had come back… she hadn't realize that was a danger as well. She assumed Taryn would come back after her rage died out- for no anger could last very long. But what if Taryn lost herself completely? What if she escaped- and injured more?

There was a sudden, deep growl, and Faolan whirled back to face Taryn as the now fully Changed werewolf tensed her muscles. The ropes made a snapping noise, and Faolan had a sinking feeling in her stomach- for she knew the ropes would not hold. Taryn was struggling wildly now, and the ropes were being strained- Faolan could see the fibers stretching.

Fao could feel the emotions rolling off Taryn, and she was scared by the power. With Morgan she had been too busy keeping him in the cave to fully comprehend the monstrous power he had gained in going over the line to the total loss of control. The total surrender of the conscious mind… She wondered if anyone truly remembered their true control experiences. She doubted it- that was part of the experience.

A dark howl burst forth from Taryn's throat, and it was bone chilling. Faolan doubted there was a soul asleep after that. She stared at the werewolf as she snapped at her bonds, rolling over the ground and struggling, her muscles bulging under her thick brown coat. Her jaws snapped together repeatedly, and anger blazed in her eyes.

Dashiell burst into the tent, looking frightened, and looked around. His eyes landed on Taryn, and then he looked at the Commander, and opened his mouth to speak. But then he decided differently, and disappeared. Faolan didn't spend time to wonder why he had come in- or who was guarding the tent, and why they had let Dashiell in. She took a deep breath and pulled her wolf self over her, deciding to Change as well. Let the Commander be ready with her sword. Faolan would be ready with her claws.

Taryn's madness had reached a frenzy, and as Faolan pulled off her clothing as she grew fur, the werewolf directed her fury towards the living creatures in the tent, and her head snapped towards Faolan. As her legs were bound, she was unable to crawl, but in her energy she could sort of wiggle violently in certain directions. Faolan easily jumped out of the way, but it still frightened her. In a few moments, she was completely in wolf form, and she snarled at Taryn as the girl lunged at her again, then hit the side of the canvas tent. Her claws raked at the fabric, and in sudden horror Faolan realized she might escape beyond the tent.

She quickly moved over and snarled at Taryn- hoping to draw the crazed werewolf back to the center of the tent. Taryn nicely obliged Fao and lunged at her madly, her growling reaching a new pitch in anger at her captivity, and captors. There was a snap as a few of the fibers of the ropes holding her broke, and Taryn, apparently sensing this, started struggling fiercely again.

"Taryn!"

Fao glanced over at the Commander, who had shouted, in surprise, and in this, almost got her nose bitten off as Taryn's teeth snapped shut with a loud click centimeters from where Faolan's nose had been before she jerked it back instinctively.

:Taryn!: she yelled as well, using her mindspeech- then remembered she had to get Taryn true control without using her Gifts, and she let herself Change back just enough to talk- for the Commander at lit upon a good idea. Perhaps now it would be possible to call Taryn back to sanity.

"TARYN!" she yelled, then jumped as Dashiell burst in again, this time holding a series of tent lines that he must have pulled off several tents. He looked, as before, terrified at the sight of Taryn, put he tossed the ropes to the Commander. Taryn quickly directed her insanity at the newcomer, and with surprising speed was at Dashiell's feet, snapping at his heels as he danced out of the way. Her howls were increasing in intensity, and all the hair of Faolan's body was standing upright.

In moments, the Commander and Dashiell had wordlessly managed to maneuver the ropes and Taryn to tie one around her middle, then another around her neck. Taryn was indignant at this, and fought even more fiercely, snapping a few more fibers of the ropes initially holding her.

"Hurry!" Faolan urged, "Her legs!"

They ignored her, and kept working, moving around the thrashing ball of teeth, claws, and fur that had become Taryn. Faolan growled, jumping around the tent and directing Taryn's attacks upon herself as much as possible to give the Commander and Dashiell more of a chance to tie Taryn up more securely.

"Taryn!" Faolan was yelling at the same time, "You can come back now! Come back! Remember yourself!"

"Remember wrestling in the streams! Remember hunting in the night! Remember sleeping under the full moon and dozing in the sun! Taryn!" Faolan shouted.

In a few more moments the tent rope that Dashiell had brought was binding Taryn doubly so- and both held opposite lines. They attempted to hold Taryn still in the center of the tent, but it helped little. Taryn's strength was such that she really was just jerking the Commander and Dashiell around as she moved. She bit and the line and claw deep furrows into the ground, taking turns lunging at the three of them.

"TARYN!" Faolan screamed and howled- the Commander and Dashiell added their voices. Faolan felt a sudden chill as she realized the yell had been taken up by werewolves outside the tent, echoing them. The entire camp was calling Taryn home. A few howls rose up into the night along with the yelling, from those in wolf form.

"TARYN!"

A/N: So another cliffhanger... sorta. I decided to do some writing and update soon this time! The next chapter will be a bonus- I'll update the last two together. :) Thanks SO MUCH to...
StormyPhoenix- I like having your comments saved with everyone else's, that's why! But thanks for reviewing anyway! Faolan IS pretty muched wacked from all the terrible stuff, actually...
SwiftShadow- I like how you said, "So I won't have to think Faolan's dead..." Like you ASSUMED I wasn't really killing her. Which I wasn't, of course... If I were REALLY going to kill Faolan I wouldn't do it as a cliff hanger. You'd know for sure. :)
M3m0rii- It's fun to hear your theories on where the story would go, because everyone always comes up with ideas I totally never even considered... :)
ginalee- Yeah... that's why the chapter was called the Third Deaths- which by the way, is the answer to my hint before about "Thrice for Love." That was the third time.
cosmicfalcon- Yeah... but you guys actually enjoy it! What's a good story without a few evil cliffhangers?