Hey guys, here's another chapter with the rainbow faces (because there's a lot). This chapter's pretty long, but a lot happens in it. I hope you guys enjoy reading!

"Let's go a bit further, Mackenzie," suggested Miriam, emerald eyes matching the hue of the tall grass, reaching up to her knees.

Mackenzie hesitated slightly. She put her foot forward, and then stepped back. "Miriam, wait."

Miriam turned, a curious look on her face. "Hm?"

"We need to talk." Mackenzie set herself down in a patch of grass.

Miriam was cautious, and proceeded to find the least itchy section of the grass to sit down in. "Okay..."

Mackenzie braced herself. She closed her eyes, breathing in, and then out. She opened her eyes, looking directly into her sister's.

"This is something that I've struggled a lot with," said Mackenzie, "And I'd appreciate you being kind and understanding about it."

Miriam raised a brow, surrounded by an air of suspense. "That depends. What are you going to tell me?"

"Well...you remember that fast biter attack? The one which made us come here?"

"Yes...? What are you trying to say, Mackenzie?"

"Well— I caused that attack. Not intentionally— it was an accident—"

"What?" Miriam stood up suddenly, taking a few steps back. "It was all you?"

"Wait, please let me explain—"

"What's there to explain?" Miriam's voice trembled. "Several rainbow faces are dead — because of you."

Mackenzie sighed as if exhausted, annoyance filling her half-lidded eyes. "Yes, I know," she said. "...Thank you for summing that up."

"I have to go," mumbled Miriam. "I...I need some time to think."

Mackenzie rose suddenly as well, reaching out. "Miriam, please, wait. Just listen to me."

Miriam continued to distance herself, and she did not listen.

Mackenzie was desperate. Miriam was her sister — they had been together since the moment they broke through their eggshells, and had never spent a day apart since. She didn't want any of that to go away.

"Miriam," she begged, "Miriam, just listen to me. I didn't mean it, listen— oh— for once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?!"

Miriam looked conflicted — she felt disgusted. Mackenzie looked and sounded so sincere, but Miriam doubted whether that was enough to make up for the catastrophe her actions had caused. After a moment's hesitation, Miriam left, plagued by a terrible mix of emotions.

Mackenzie could not stop the other from leaving, nor did she dare to try, in fear of making matters worse. Instead, she decided to head on towards her 'thinking spot', for lack of a better term.

She laid concealed under the shade of a fir tree, the light from the bright circle shimmering through the small spaces between the leaves. Some of the leaves slowly fell from the tree, landing in the pond below, creating gentle ripples.

Her eyes drifted downwards, watching as a light blue buzzer with silvery wings landed on one of the leaves pooling in the water. The buzzer watched the water for a moment, staring directly at a small group of small fish swimming about.

It waited for the right moment to strike — then, it lunged for the water, snatching up one of the fish from the group before flying away. It landed directly on Mackenzie's nose, where it made short work of the fish.

Mackenzie blew the buzzer off of her nose, frowning as it disappeared past the trees. Then, she looked down into the pond, where the fish were swimming as usual. She found it rather odd how one of their own had just been killed and devoured, and they didn't even take notice.

Amelia's footsteps crunched in the grass until she finally stopped right beside Mackenzie. She lowered her head, the image of the pond reflecting in her blue eyes.

"What are you looking at, dear?"

Mackenzie startled slightly, but relaxed when she realized it was only her mother. She looked up at her, and then back at the pond. "...Nothing, mom."

Amelia sighed, sitting down beside her. "What happened, love?"

Mackenzie seemed reluctant to say anything, but she was dying to tell someone, and there was no one better to tell than her own mother. She sat up, looking her mother in the eye.

"I told Miriam about..."

Amelia knew then what the problem was. Her eyes softened, and she traced her finger along her daughter's cheek.

"Oh, Mackenzie...Miriam is just in shock. I'm sure she doesn't mean anything she said."

"That's just it. She didn't really say that much. All she said was that several rainbow faces are dead because of me, which is true, and that she needs time to think."

Amelia nodded her head in understanding. "Just give her time. She'll come around."

"I sure hope so. I don't want her to hate me..."

"Mackenzie." Amelia grabbed her daughter's shoulders. "She does not hate you. If she decides she's going to hate you because of a mistake that you made, she's got another thing coming, because I can point out every foolish thing she's done from the day she's hatched."

Mackenzie tried not to laugh, but a snort escaped her one way or the other. Amelia smiled, glad that she had managed to lift her daughter's mood, even if just a little bit.

"That's my girl." She touched her snout to Mackenzie's, giving her a tender kiss on the nose.

"Would you like to stay here?"

Mackenzie gave a shy nod of her head. "I just want to be by myself for a little bit."

"Anything you need." Amelia began walking away, and turned her head. "Just try to head back before it gets too dark, alright?"

Mackenzie nodded her head again. "Love you, mom."

"I love you too, dear," Amelia grinned as she reciprocated the words. Then, she turned and continued on towards her home.

The sky was bright blue, dotted with a small number of pink and orange clouds. It was now early evening, a rather lazy time of day for many residents of the Great Valley. Tristan sat inside, his head buried in a pile of leaves. He lifted his head, a bundle of leaves in his mouth which he slowly managed to swallow the very moment that Amelia entered.

Amelia trudged inside, seemingly worn down. That nagging pain in her side had been there for days, and showed no clear signs of abating.

Tristan was worried for her, but knew better than to push the issue. Instead, he waited for her to sit down before scooting closer to her and nuzzling her chin.

Amelia closed her eyes, tilting her chin a little ways upward and smiling. Soft giggles escaped her slightly parted mouth.

"Tristan," she mumbled in between laughs, trying to be serious, "Tristan, I need to tell you something."

Tristan lightly kissed her cheek. "Are you sure it can't wait?"

"Yes," Amelia finally managed to say in a tone that conveyed urgency.

Tristan leaned back, raising an anticipating brow. "What's the matter?"

"Miriam knows," Amelia said in a hushed voice.

"About Mackenzie...?"

"Mhm. From what I can see, she didn't take too kindly to it at all..."

Miriam was thinking far too intently to even listen to any part of their conversation, even the parts mentioning her. Facing the entrance of the cave, she still felt highly conflicted about her sister, and found herself at a turning point regarding her beliefs. Tired of dwelling on it, Miriam rose to her feet and faced her mother, and then sat back down again.

"Mom?"

Amelia acted nonchalant, munching on the stem of bipinnate leaf. "Yes, dear?"

"Do...Do you know what Mackenzie did?"

"You mean her accidentally leading a pack of fast biters to the herd? Yes, why?"

Miriam was taken aback. "Wait— you know about it?"

"Of course I do. She told me. And your father, too."

"And you aren't mad about it?"

"No, of course not. It was only an accident, after all."

"But...that attack...they killed Michael. They killed your friends. And Mackenzie led them right to us!"

Amelia sighed, swallowing the last of her bundle of leaves before walking over to Miriam and sitting down beside her. "Yes, bad things happened. I know that. But what you need to understand is that you and your sister are still young children. She panicked, as any child would in that kind of situation."

"But—"

"Miriam." Amelia's calming and gentle voice turned into one with a no-nonsense sort of tone, as though she were in no mood to argue. "I've always believed you to be very open minded, but right now, you're being quite the opposite. Your sister made a mistake. Yes, her mistake had disastrous consequences, but she's learned from it. She regrets it."

"I know," Miriam said with uncertainty, averting her gaze.

"Doesn't sound like it to me."

Mackenzie suddenly stood up, raising her arms. "Well, what else am I supposed to say? Don't you know how bad this is, mom?!"

"Don't raise your voice at your mother, young lady," warned Tristan.

"I do know how bad this is,"Amelia said quietly. "But I also know that Mackenzie's been struggling a great deal."

Miriam looked directly at her mother, eyes wide. "What?"

"She knows what she did was wrong, dear. She's still suffering for it."

Tristan rose and joined them, sitting on the opposite side of his daughter. "And as long as you don't put this past you, she'll continue to suffer."

"But, dad—"

"Miriam. Don't argue."

Amelia offered a stronger argument, as opposed to simply commanding her. "Listen. I know this is shocking to you, but regardl of what happened, this did not affect you personally. Everyone from our family is still here."

"That doesn't mean I can't be angry!"

"Your anger is perfectly valid, Miriam. I'm not saying it isn't. But I've always taught you about forgiveness and compassion, no matter the circumstances, haven't I?"

Miriam huffed. "Yes..."

"Then, please — just let this go. Don't let contempt fill your heart, otherwise, that's all that will ever be there."

Mackenzie rocked her feet back and forth in the water, Gabriel sitting beside her as he listened to her recite her story.

"I'm so sorry, Gabriel. Truly, I am."

For the entire duration of the time that she spoke, Gabriel refrained from interrupting her, nor did he feel the urge to do so. He gave her his undivided attention, and made sure to listen to her side of the story.

"Well," he began to say as soon as Mackenzie finished, "It's not really your fault. Those fast biters lived in that gorge, and no one really told you about that…I should have said something, at least."

Mackenzie huffed, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "I still led them to everyone."

"You were scared. Mackenzie, no one would expect you to be calm in that situation, especially since you were by yourself."

Mackenzie looked away. "Still..."

"Listen to me. This is coming from someone who's father was killed in that attack — you are not the reason for anyone's death. You didn't kill anyone. The fast biters did."

Mackenzie stood her ground. She was adamant that she was completely culpable, that she was to blame. Gabriel could see this, and clasped her shoulders to grab her attention.

"I know you believe you're at fault, and while I don't agree, I know the only way you'll ever be able to move on from this is if you hear it." There was a short pause. "Mackenzie...you are forgiven. I forgive you, and I still want to be friends with you...as long as you still want to be friends with me."

"Don't be daft!" Mackenzie delivered a light slap to his shoulder. "Of course I want to be friends with you..." She began to lean in closer, bringing him into a gentle embrace. "Thank you, Gabriel."

The pair walked off towards home. Gabriel was smiling at Mackenzie, bringing light to her face and forcing joyous giggles out of her. Miriam stepped out from the dimly lit cave, her eyes somewhat uneasy.

Amelia appeared behind her, gently nudging her forward. "Go on, dear."

Mackenzie waved goodbye to Gabriel as Miriam began to approach her. Her hands squeezed tightly together, Miriam's eyes held an apology.

"Mackenzie...can I talk to you?"

The sisters sat in a patch of pale pink and white flowers growing near their home. They sat close together, bonded at the hip. Miriam sighed, looking into Mackenzie's eyes.

"Mackenzie..." As she peered into those wild jade eyes, she could see the hurt. Suddenly, Miriam regretted every word she said about her sister. "...I-It wasn't your fault. You were just afraid, and I see that now, and I'm sorry."

Mackenzie said nothing, and stared at her sister, her eyes doing the talking for her. She looked sad, yet surprised.

The suspense was killing Miriam. "Oh, come on," she groaned, "Don't do this. Shout, yell, scream, please just say something!"

"You really don't blame me...?"

"What?" Miriam was incredulous. "Of course I don't blame you. At least— not anymore. I mean, when you told me, I was just shocked...but mom explained it to me and I know now that whatever happened wasn't your fault."

Tears brimmed Mackenzie's eyes as she drew a few quivering breaths. "I...I just feel so awful. I saw Molly the other day, and she looked so sad and hopeless..."

Miriam slung an arm around her sister, bringing her closer. "I know. But those rainbow faces aren't dead because of you, Mackenzie. They're dead because of the fast biters. And in such an exposed area...they were easy targets."

That much was true. There had been little to no shelter apart from the caves, and even those were a bit taxing to climb. Many of the herd members hardly stood a chance against the agile fast biters.

Slowly, Mackenzie managed a nod. She still put much of the blame on herself, and it would require the passage of time for that notion to go away. But at the very least, she still had the love of her family.

Amelia and Tristan stood at the entrance of the cave, beaming with joy. The crimson golden hue of the sky had faded to a bleak grey, and the first showings of pale moonlight illuminated their faces.

"Oh, Tristan," Amelia remarked with a sigh, "I'm so glad they made up. Should we call them in for dinner now?"

"Best that we don't," Tristan answered softly, "They can come when they're ready. But you should be lying down and resting."

Amelia disregarded him, keeping her eyes on her daughters as Tristan turned and went inside. Tristan marched over to their shared nest, stopping right by his wife's side of the bed of leaves. Lowering his neck, he used his snout to clean the area. He brushed away excess leaves and grass, creating a soft cushion. He then did the same for his side. Once he was finished, Tristan raised his neck and found that Amelia had yet to come inside.

He walked back out, and spotted a speck of dirt on Amelia's cheek, which he proceeded to clean with the tip of his snout.

"Honey," he said, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her inside. "Come on."

Amelia gave in at last, smiling at her children one last time. She ambled inside, Tristan watching her steadily make her way over to the nest. He then cast his gaze towards Miriam and Mackenzie, who still held each other. Offering a genuine smile, he turned and joined Amelia in the nest.

The night circle was well up in the dark sky, covered with millions and millions of stars. A light rustle traveled through the chilly nighttime air, sounding almost like a whistle.

Amelia and Tristan lay together, watching in fascination as the stars twinkled and shone. After a long silence, Amelia spoke up.

"Dear?"

"Hmm?" Tristan mumbled drowsily, having just closed his eyes, beginning to doze off.

"I'm worried."

Tristan opened one eye, yawning. "What about?"

Amelia turned her head slightly towards him, sea blue eyes glistening like the ocean on a sunny day. "I feel...I don't know. I feel like the girls don't quite need us anymore. I mean, they're able to resolve their own problems now, and I..."

"Don't be daft," snorted Tristan. "They still need us, and they know it. They're only teenagers, after all."

"I know. But they are becoming more independent..."

Tristan opened both his eyes, lifting his head a few inches. "Love, they still need us. They especially need you. You were able to guide both of them in the right direction, which is why they've been able to make up."

Amelia sighed sadly. "I can only hope I've done my job well...goodness knows what they'll do when I'm gone."

Tristan gave her a strange sort of look. "Where is all this coming from? You're scaring me with this kind of talk...is everything okay? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Amelia gave a shake of her head. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just that you know as well as I do that anything can happen and neither of us will be here forever."

"True," agreed Tristan, "But is this what's been on your mind lately? Are you worried you're going to die? Or that something's going to happen to you?"

"A little bit, if I'm being honest," Amelia admitted, ashamed. "After what happened to Diana, and to Michael..."

"Oh, Amelia." Tristan tilted his head, his amber eyes showing a softness he only ever showed with her, and on some occasions, his daughters. "That won't happen. We're safe here, remember?"

"I know that, Tristan. But there are other dangers. That is what worries me."

Tristan knew this. He knew that sharpteeth were not the only perils in the world. There were certain sicknesses that were just a lethal as a sharptooth. Truthfully, he often worried that he would one day fall ill and never recover, leaving his wife without a husband and his daughters without a father. It was his worst nightmare, and he was relieved to find he wasn't alone in all of this.

"I understand," he finally said, tenderly touching his gaily colored snout to hers. "But we all still need you. Especially me. So don't you even think about going anywhere."

Amelia gave an amused little chuckle. "I wasn't planning to."

Mackenzie and Miriam came inside, laughing and pushing each other against the cave wall. Tristan lifted his head completely, smiling amusedly.

"So. Everything's better between you two now?"

"Much better," exclaimed Mackenzie.

"I'm glad. But you should thank your mother for knocking some sense into you both."

"Thank you, mom," said Miriam, walking over to lovingly nudge her mother's cheek with her snout. Mackenzie did the same.

"By the way," Mackenzie added. "Dad is right. We do still need you, mom. I think we always will."

Amelia craned her neck, chortling. "I don't like the sound of that...when do I get a break?"

Mackenzie laughed, and nuzzled her mother once more. "Goodnight, mom."

"Goodnight, dear."

The parents watched their children head over to their respective nests, waiting until they were fully in bed to finally rest their tired heads. Tristan could tell simply by looking into Amelia's eyes that the prospect of her own mortality was still bothering her.

"It's going to be fine, Amelia. I promise. Nothing will happen to you, or to anyone in our family."

"I know." Amelia shook her head lightly. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit paranoid, somehow."

"It's quite alright." He rubbed her chin with his snout in an attempt to take her mind off of her current plight. "Just go to sleep now."

Amelia's eyes slowly closed, the night circle shining over her face. Tristan watched her body relax until it slowed down to an equilibrium of soft snores and the slow rise and fall of her chest. Wearing a content smile, he began to doze off, looked down upon by the watchful eye of the night circle.