Probably should have stated this before the first chapter but better late than never I suppose. This story is set five years after the end of the war with the Yeerks. Everything plays out pretty much as it did in the final book except Ax never finds the Blade ship and gets captured by "The One". The Animorphs never reassemble and thus never go off into space.

The usual copyright BS. I don't own Animorphs and I ain't makin any money off this.

~The Last Ronin~

I float aimlessly on a pillow of warm air, my eyes not focused on anything. A slight headwind picks up and with an unconscious adjustment of my wings I ride it higher into the sky. I used to love flying - the freedom, the rush. But that's changed; the world's changed. Now flying is just something I do because well...I suppose I have to do something. And deep down I secretly hope that maybe, if I go high enough, I'll find the girl who used to fly with me.

But I won't. She's been gone...I don't know how long; time stopped meaning anything the moment I watched her die. My heart stopped in the same instant and hasn't restarted yet. I'm not even sure it's actually there anymore.

So many times I've thought about ending it all. It would be so easy: a power line, a car, a golden eagle. But I won't; partially because she died protecting me and I love her to much to let her death have been in vain.

Mostly, however, I'm afraid. Afraid that this life might be all there is. Afraid that if I die I'll never see her again.

So I fly. High as I can go, to where her memory still haunts me. It hurts, remembering the little time we had together...no time really. But I'll take the pain, gladly; it's all I have left to remind me that she existed aside from the small urn containing her ashes. The alternative is to feel nothing. Nothing but the emptiness that has filled me since she left.

The sun begins to set and I head for home, my stomach growling. I'm not hungry though. Most hawks hunt daily...I know I used to. Now though I usually wait until I'm close to starving. I just don't have the energy.

Approaching my meadow I fold my wings and drop. The ground rushes at me and for a split second I'm tempted to just let gravity take me; it's as easy a way out as any other I've thought about. Instead I flare my wings and land lightly on my branch.

My talons have barely dug into the soft wood of my tree when I realize something is wrong. Out of habit I quickly scan the area, looking for any lurking predators that wouldn't mind a sickly hawk for dinner. Other than the usual prey animals going about their business, however, I see nothing. Satisfied I'm not about to get attacked in the next few minutes, I turn back to examine my tree and stop. I stare, my mind unable to process what I'm seeing...not seeing actually. For a moment I forget how to breathe.

The urn is gone.

Impossible! I'd made sure it couldn't be seen from the ground and that it was secure enough to deter any animals from getting into it. I hop over to get a closer look but it's not there. I check the ground. Where is it?

Panic flows through me as I search the area. Not finding anything I drop to the ground and begin to morph. I haven't been human since...and I nearly fall on my face as I push into the bushes to continue my search. Where is it? Where is it? !

I yank aside the brush, ignoring the thorns that tear at my skin and the twigs that bite at my feet.

"Where is it? Where is it? !" I repeat over and over, my eyes stinging from the tears that are threatening to start. This is why I haven't gone human; a hawk can't cry.

"Did you lose something?" a voice calls from behind me and I freeze. My mind must be playing tricks on me again, there's no way I'm actually hearing this voice.

"I said, did you lose something?" she says again, "Maybe I can help you find it."

I squeeze my eyes shut, tears leaking from them, and try to will her voice away. I can't do this now, it's too much. If I do I'll completely lose whatever hold I have on my sanity.

"Are you ok?" she asks and I nearly breakdown at the sound of the worry I hear in her voice.

"No I'm not ok," I whisper, "not since you..."

"Not since I what?"

"Died," I choke out.

"Okaay...morbid much?" she giggles, "Look I'm sorry about your loss but I'm very much not dead."

I whirl on her and pause, my eyes tearing up again. The person before me looks too real to be another hallucination. It must be a trick of the light. Not to mention my human eyes are downright horrible. But a breeze picks up and teases her golden hair, blowing her familiar scent to me. I rock back on my heels. Sound, sight and smell; this is new. Normally it's just a voice in the wind or a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye.

For a minute I look at her. It is her, there's no mistaking it. That cocky stance, those fierce blue eyes, her devil-may-care grin. My dreams are never this vivid but that must be what's happening; it's the only explanation.

I just know I'm going to regret this when I wake up but I can't help myself. If this is the only way for us to be together then I'll take it and deal with the pain later.

"Hello Rachel," I try to remember how to smile.