Chapter 20: Buried Records

"Following the trail of life,
Records kept from birth to death
Outlining the path we took
And marking our nature.

Not all is shown,
Not all is known,
For such things written down
After the matter is long pass,
Yet life must find a means to move again."

Year: June 21, 2308
Location: Central Clearing, Africaus Tri-Border

The meeting drew to a close as the hour neared sunset, the alphas dispersing back to their own lands with their followers. Only Alex and Liana remained at the table, Vadeous and her guards hovering nearby as they watched the others leave.
The fox-neko behind Alex drifted to his side as the last one disappeared, her voice quiet as she scanned the trees for any watchers, "I sense the green-claw, he approaches from the north…"
"Thank you Trix, I'll have your new assignment momentarily…" the high alpha smirked slightly as he rose and turned to watch the forest with her, "This green-claw has still not learned the alpha's call and we will need communication in the coming days…"
"As you wish…" Trix retreated to the edge of the clearing to wait, her soft orange tail twitching as she leaned against one of the trees.
Keith entered the clearing, his approach hesitant as he scanned those present but he smiled when he caught sight of the gypsy, "Mother, I didn't know you were here…"
"There is much you don't know son but that is fine for now…" Vadeous wrapped him in a hug before stepping back to study him, "You've grown so much, I wish we had time to talk but I know your mission is more pressing right now…"
Keith glanced behind her to the alphas and nodded before stepping towards Alex, "I've collected the name but the wolves have no records left…"
"The main land records are stored here, safeguarded by the felines as they have always been…" Liana turned to the southern forest as she spoke, her sharp eyes picking out the ancient feline that now approached, "I have requested the current record-keeper so you may continue your search…"
"Bea will not approve of this though, we need the neko alphas on our side…" Alex sighed as he turned to greet the feline, managing a tired smile, "You must have travelled a long way…"
"Of course, but the current issue is ours to help resolve…if it is any conciliation the feline alpha has agreed…" The feline record-keeper stopped shy of the strange huddle, her hands clasped together in the traditional prayer of peace. She was a clouded leopard by spirit, her spotted tail curled around her right leg and her ears folded back in submission to the high alpha.
"Peace Vaneta, I have heard from the high feline and would not desire for you to go behind your tribes…" Alex turned back to Keith then and waved for Trix to rejoin them, "You two are permitted to look through the records under Vaneta's supervision…if I have not called for you by the season change you must return to the main pack…"
Keith grimaced at the thought of returning to the core of Trinity but he nodded acceptance of the terms as he stepped past the alphas to join Vaneta.
"You should get acquainted with the rest of the pack Keith, Trinity might be more scattered than the other packs but we work as a unit…"
"I know…" Keith shook his head as the record-keeper turned to leave the meeting, "I'll play nice with them after this…"
He followed Vaneta deeper into feline territory then, Trix trailing a few paces behind as they disappeared into the forest.
"The evolvers have grown too fast to be completely contained, this will spill over into the other kingdoms…how will you hold tradition then?" Vadeous dismissed her two guards then, both reluctantly agreeing to leave her alone with the high alphas, "Times are changing faster than any of the divisions…"
"The time of secrets might end but tradition will remain…however this world evolves… If you desire to join us in the meadow you are welcome…" Alex turned back to the east then and took to the trail the elites had disappeared down earlier, Liana keeping pace at his side and the strange gypsy following behind.

Location: Nature's Wind, Americanus North Tri-Border

Firamon slowed as the mansion rose before them, surrounded on one side by the thick forests leading up from the pack lands and the stark grey of the machine-land on the other. A covered porch extended from the front, a rocking chair shoved carelessly to one side while the door itself was propped open invitingly.
"Careful Flare, remember I don't like dealing with adults…" Strike shifted on the lion digimon's back, loosening Ryan's bear hug as they approached the house.
"Yes, I know…but we do need a safe place to regroup…" Flare stopped before the porch and let his riders dismount before devolving back to coronamon.
Before they could speak further Crystal ran out the door to greet them, wrapping her arms around Strike as he consented to a friendly hug while her partner waited on the steps above them.
The other destined followed her out but they remained on the porch, Ariel leaning against the post while she tapped her cane against her leg.
"It's good to see you too Chris but we have things to discuss, we've already wasted too much time…" Strike sighed as he untangled from her hug and slipped up the steps to join the others, "Do we even have a strategy room here?"
"Yes, Ariel's joined our leader's circle in your absence…" Crystal led the way into the house, nodding a passing greeting to the twins' mother Mrs. Garrison as she headed straight to the back room.
Strike and Ariel followed her with their partners, leaving the younger ones to their games while Ryan grabbed a couch to catch up on lost sleep.
Strike closed the door as he entered the room, his eyes scanning the various maps and charts lining the walls before dropping to the world map spread on the table, "Okay, so what have I missed?"
Crystal dropped into one of the chairs surrounding the table, Leo settling into her lap as she studied the unofficial leader of the destined. "Too much to recap quickly…for now this is Ariel I was telling you about…" she waved a hand to where the aquatic neko had settled on the other side of the table, "She's a seahorse neko from the gulf…and older than you, though we're not disputing leadership…"
"Oh, you don't want a blind water-dweller leading, I'm content to follow you…" Ariel cocked her head towards Strike, her voice teasing as she regarded the leader for the first time.
"We're not arguing leadership here but we need a plan, you didn't see what they did to the alley…" A touch of a growl entered his voice as he began pacing, ignoring the table and the maps for the moment as he let out his frustration.
"Calm down Strike, no one was hurt…and we already know what Pride can do…" Crystal sighed as she followed his progress across the room, knowing she would get nothing out of him until he calmed.

"Hey Ray, hey wake up!"
Ryan blinked open his eyes several hours later to find the younger destined surrounding him, Wild at the forefront while the others looked on anxiously. "What's wrong?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up, impmon shifting beside him, "Where are the others?"
"Still in their meeting, you can sometimes hear Strike yelling about something…" Rachel spoke up as she took the seat beside Ryan, her partner settling at her feet while the other destined sat on the floor before them, "What happened while you were gone?"
Ryan shook his head, thinking back on their strange time trip while his gaze drifted to the back hall where the leaders had disappeared earlier. "I don't really know where to start…everything happened so fast…"
"Crystal had a vision of Tempusmon, that's why we knew something had happened…you were gone so long though…" Rachel followed his gaze to the back, her voice soft as she thought back to the battle against the birdramon.
"I don't think we had much choice though…Lucemon said we had something to learn in the past…"
"Lucemon, is he the angel?" Lucy spoke up suddenly, hugging her partner in her lap as she watched the older two.
"Yeah, I guess…Time seemed to trust him anyway…"
"But that means you'll disappear again doesn't it?" Wild was the next to speak his bright eyes on the labramon that had suddenly appeared in Ryan's lap, "Wait, who's she?"
Ryan rubbed a hand along the dog digimon's back, smiling faintly as he turned to regard her, "This is my new partner Curls, she came up while we were checking the alley…"
"You got another partner, I've only ever seen Zev with two…" Rachel murmured, petting the new digimon while Curls lapped up the attention.